Q1 2022 by ConnieCT

CONNIE CONNECTION Connecticut's Health Information Exchange Newsletter

A WORD FROM JENN SEARLS 2021 was a BIG year for the world, as well as for Connie. As a nation we have been faced with loss, uncertainty and unprecedented challenges that have tested our resolve. As an emerging company we have tackled learning curves and persevered through many growing pains. Through it all, we have remained focused in our commitment to enhance the health and well-being of Connecticut residents through the provision of health information technology services. I’m proud to report that Connie has been successfully stood up and is steadfast in our mission. Our future is hopeful, and our potential is inspiring.

Q1 2022

NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS

A WORD FROM JENN SEARLS

ALL ABOUT DATA: CONNIE BY THE NUMBERS

NEW SERVICE: IMAGE EXCHANGE

CONNECTICUT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO COLLECT REL DATA

INTRODUCING CT EHEALTH PODCASTS

A WORD FROM JENN SEARLS CONTINUED Of the many highlights of the year, I am very proud of the team we have built. Connie has some of the most committed, resourceful, and talented staff I have ever had the privilege of working with. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the support and guidance from our highly engaged and mission committed Board of Directors, comprised of individuals representing a cross section of Connie stakeholders including healthcare professionals, consumer advocates, and state agency representatives. Finally, our partners at the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) and the Department of Social Services (DSS) have been invaluable as we’ve navigated our first successful year. In addition to our incredible team, dedicated board members and state partners, we have benefited greatly from the collaborative spirit and expertise of CRISP and their affiliate Health Information Exchanges. Joining CRISP allowed us to leverage their robust infrastructure to get Connie up and running quickly, which was a pivotal piece in our success.

In May, Connie, Connecticut’s statedesignated Health Information Exchange was deemed operational by OHS and is fully functioning. Since then, we have distributed over 4.4 million dollars to assist in connecting Connecticut’s healthcare community and now have more than 273 healthcare organizations participating with Connie, including most major healthcare systems. We have created a patient consent policy, an opt-out process for patients, gone live with our website and launched LIVE data going through Connie. We have rolled out the Connie Portal and our InContext EMR-embedded application. Finally, I am thrilled to report that we are receiving data for more than 2.8M patients in Connie, directly supporting our mission to improve the health and well-being of our fellow Nutmeggers. Needless to say, 2021 was busy and challenging, but also pretty incredible! I know we can and will top this in 2022 because we have an excellent team that is innovative, creative, and committed to secure clinical exchange for the empowerment of consumers and health care providers in Connecticut.

Q1 2022

ALL ABOUT DATA: CONNIE BY THE NUMBERS Connie continues to gain momentum and connections since its May 3, 2021, commencement. More than 273 healthcare organizations, including 143 ambulatory practices, 13 long-term/post-acute care facilities and most major health systems in the state have signed on to Connie and committed to connecting. Many organizations have also completed their technical connection to Connie and are contributing data on almost 2.8 million Connecticut (CT) patients and for nearly 18,000 providers. Significant connection milestones include the additions of major health organizations such as Yale New Haven Health, Hartford HealthCare, UConn Health, SoNE HEALTH (previously SOHO), and ProHealth Physicians. Onboarding these major connections is a step in a positive direction in improving Connecticut’s healthcare and fulfilling the state mandate of all hospitals connecting with Connie by May 3, 2022, and providers connecting by May 3, 2023.

To begin connecting with Connie, health care entities must first complete a Commit to Connect form to start the onboarding process, then confirm what specific data will be shared in the HIE. Once the 4-8 week process of legal onboarding is finished, the next step is technical onboarding. During Onboarding - when patient data is submitted to Connie - health organizations have the option of determining what data is shared with Connie as well as who may access Connie data at their organization. Once connected, healthcare entities have access to Connie’s many benefits, including the Connie Portal and Event notifications, which are some of Connie’s most used services.

Q1 2022

Other exciting data available through Connie include: Admission, Discharge and Transfer (ADT) Data Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs) Radiology Reports (RAD) Labs Transcriptions (Discharge summaries, Consult notes) This quarter, be sure to lookout for announcements on the Connie Portal and Image Exhange, Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) services and more! Watch for the upcoming addition of more healthcare entities in the pipeline, including Griffin Hospital, Danbury Hospital, Nuvance Health Medical Practices, Avon Health Center and The Surgical Center of Connecticut. There are many communications and informational plans in place to share the benefits of Connie, and healthcare entities are encouraged to learn more about how the HIE is enhancing the health of Connecticut’s residents. More information on starting a connection with Connie is available at www.conniect.org/onboarding-information-packet/ or follow us on social media! Q1 2022

NEW SERVICE: IMAGE EXCHANGE

Connie is launching an Imaging service at the end of January! Imaging provides Connie users access to patient images in full diagnostic quality at point of care. Images and reports will be available directly in the Connie portal and InContext app in real time, enhancing both speed and quality of care. Any provider that has been provisioned access to Connie will have access to Imaging. There are three functional elements in Imaging: report-level viewing, imaging worklist, and transfer to PACS. Report-level views allow a provider to view an image when reviewing a patient’s corresponding Radiology or Cardiology report. The imaging worklist allows a provider to compare images for one patient from all organizations that contribute images to Connie.

JUNE 1, 2025 Q1 2022

VOLUME5 12

While in the worklist the transfer to PACS functionality allows users with added permissions to download external images from the imaging worklist to their local PACS. Images taken within the last 90 days are made available to all authorized Connie users within seconds of collection, while deeper archives of images older than 90 days can also be queried and delivered on demand. The number of images will initially be limited as Connie begins onboarding organizations to share images. However, Connie is continuously working to connect additional organizations to provide a robust imaging service, decreasing costs to imaging centers and improving care to Connecticut patients. Interested in more information about connecting your organization’s PACS? Contact Heidi Wilson at heidi.wilson@conniect.org. If you’re interested in accessing this Imaging service, contact your dedicated Account Manager. Not yet a Connie User? Please use the CONTACT US FORM to get connected with Connie.

SEE OUR GROWING LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Q1 2022

VOLUME 6 12

CONN E C T I C U T H EALTH CARE PROV I D E R S T O COLLECT REL DATA Public Act 21-35 (PA 21-35) was passed by the Connecticut State Legislature in June of 2021 and declares a public health crisis due to racism. The goal of the legislation is to reduce racial disparities from a baseline established on Jan. 1, 2022 by 70%. According to the CT Office of Health Strategy, Black and Brown communities in Connecticut experience serious disparities in clinical and population health outcomes and disproportionately suffer from maternal morbidity, asthma, diabetes, and COVID-19. Connecticut hospitals and healthcare providers are required by this law to collect self-reported demographic data voluntarily provided by patients, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, primary language, insurance status and disability status. This data is to be included in the patient’s electronic health records (EHR) for inclusion in Connie, the state’s health information exchange (HIE).

Q1 2022

VOLUME7 12

The collection and use of race, ethnicity and language (REL) data is necessary for healthcare providers to understand their patient populations and implement appropriate interventions for improving quality of health care delivery. This standard collection of data will also assist in identifying and finding solutions to preexisting healthcare disparities. The Connecticut Office of Health Strategy (OHS) supports the goal of health equity; specifically, to reduce health disparities caused by socio-economic factors that intersect in people’s lives including race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and income.

In consultation with other state agencies, OHS is developing the race and ethnicity data collection standard in alignment with the OHS Community and Clinical Integration Program (CCIP) and US Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and primary languages spoken by non-English speaking foreign-born CT residents in alignment with International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Q1 2022

VOLUME 8 12

OHS will also consult with consumer advocates, health equity experts, agencies, and healthcare providers to implement a plan of best practices and guidelines for standardized collection of REL data so providers can meet the regulatory requirements, and ultimately monitor and address racial and ethnic disparities. As a part of the commitment, OHS has partnered with the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to develop REL standard documentation guidelines to facilitate successful collection of the data. The process also involves developing an inventory of high value state health services agencies’ databases covered by the REL standards and working with the Connecticut Health Foundation to ensure provider alignment with guidelines.

Q1 2022

OHS is also investigating if it is possible to leverage existing resources to assist agencies with implementing these requirements. If you are a healthcare organization or provider connected with Connie, you will be required to collect REL data following guidelines established by OHS. If you are not already part of the Office of Health Strategy’s distribution list, send a request to Tina Hyde, Manager of External Affairs, Connecticut Office of Health Strategy at tina.hyde@ct.gov to be sure you are informed when guidelines are published. As Connie receives more information on the standards and requirements for implementation, we will share them with participating organizations.

VOLUME 9 12

INTRODUCING CT EHEALTH PODCASTS Connie has partnered with UConn Health, to launch a new podcast series: CT eHealth Podcast: Educating, Conversing and Connecting for Better Health, with the primary goal to educate, converse, and connect. The Connecticut eHealth podcast, funded by Connie and produced by the UConn Health Interoperability, Innovation and Learning Lab with host Thomas Agresta, MD, MBI, is a space where local and national experts, key stakeholders, and other eHealth professionals can get together to discuss health information in CT and around the country. Be sure to catch up on our latest podcasts listed below and bookmark the CT eHealth Podcast page to listen to future episodes and learn more about health IT trends in our state and nationwide.

Jenn Searls

Allen Davis

Lisa Stump

UPCOMING EVENTS AT UCONN HEALTH Q1 2022

VOLUME 1012

CONNIE SPOTLIGHT FEATURING WINS & ROCKSTARS

We want to recognize and congratulate our very own Lisa Stump, for being named as one of the top women to watch in 2022 for Health IT. We are honored to have you as a serving board member for Connie and thrilled to benefit from your caliber of expertise.

EHR Intelligence recently wrote an article featuring CT’s health IT officer, Sumit Sajnani taking the reins as chair of the board of directors for Connie. We welcome Sumit to our BOD and are ecstatic to be the beneficiaries his wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise.

CONGRATULATIONS!

WELCOME!

KEEP IN TOUCH