The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for healthcare systems to seamlessly relay clinical information to one another. Health IT plays an essential role in the collecting and reporting of COVID-19 data and facilitating effective strategies to combat COVID-19. Here in the commonwealth:
- The Pennsylvania Patient and Provider Network (P3N) facilitates the exchange of clinical data among five P3N Certified Healthcare Information Organizations (HIOs).
- Each of the P3N HIOs hosts clinical data repositories, Admission-Discharge-Transfer messages, continuity of care documents, lab reports, radiology reports, and other clinical documents contributed by their member organizations.
- Providers connected to any P3N HIO can request clinical data about their patients from any of the P3N HIO clinical data repositories with information about that patient and can receive notices when their patients are admitted to hospitals or emergency departments throughout the state.
This access to information is critical for ensuring providers have the most complete information about the patients they care for in ordinary times and now even more so to coordinate patient care during this COVID-19 pandemic. Check these tools and resources for the health IT and clinical community related to COVID-19 and get more information on health information exchange in Pennsylvania.