FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                
January 17, 2012                                                      

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE SHARING PATIENT DATA IN HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE (HIE) THROUGH DATA STRATEGIES’ MDSUITE 
“One more tool to improve quality and lower costs in healthcare delivery"

PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Physicians at Mountain View Pediatrics can now seamlessly update patient health records as well as safely and securely retrieve patient health information where it is needed most – at the point of care.  This is the result of the practice completing integration of a bi-directional connection between the region’s health information exchange (HIE) and MDsuite a national electronic health record program maintained by Data Strategies of Poway, California.

 “This is one more tool for us to use as we work to improve quality and lower costs in healthcare delivery,” said Heidi Moore, MD and co-owner of the practice.  “The collaboration between the health information exchange, the individual electronic health record, and private practices has been critical for the success of the Adirondack Region Medical Home and for the future of healthcare.” 

 In real-time MDsuite uploads additions and changes to patient information to the HIE which is managed by the Health Information Xchange of New York (HIXNY), the regional health information organization for the 17 county region comprised of Northern New York and the Capital Region.  Other community providers who treat this patient are then able to view their updated community medical record.

 The HIE empowers physicians to make informed decisions resulting in improved patient care.  The alternative paper process of exchanging clinical information potentially delays physicians in providing care or forces them to make decisions based on incomplete information.  Electronically exchanging health information allow physicians, hospitals and other stakeholders the access they need to patient records in order to reduce costs and  improve the quality of care.

“This is a very exciting milestone as we continue to move forward and connect providers in the medical home so that patient data can be shared in real time,” said Mark McKinney, CEO of HIXNY.  “This is critically important as our infrastructure to support the healthcare system in the region continues to evolve.”

“Data Strategies is proud to be a leading New York EHR vendor offering physicians a single integrated solution for their medical software needs,” said Les Jacobs, CEO of Data Strategies, Inc.  “Improving patient care is at the forefront of our minds, and the success of this integration provides physicians in the Greater Capital Region and Northern NY an exciting opportunity to participate with the HIE.”

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About the Healthcare Information Xchange of New York (HIXNY):  HIXNY (“hix-knee”) is a collaboration of health plans, hospitals, physician practices and other entities in a 17 county geography comprising the Capital Region and Northern New York.  HIXNY has built an interoperable network to electronically share medical information more efficiently for the benefit of healthcare consumers.  HIXNY, a not-for-profit organization, has been designated as a regional health information organization (RHIO) by the New York State Department of Health.  HIXNY works collaboratively with healthcare providers to enable accurate and efficient decision making at the point of care.  For more information about HIXNY, including a list of the member organizations please visit www.hixny.org.