E-health Q and A

• General Questions Regarding E-Health

  • What is e-health?

    E-health means the application of electronic information technology to the practice of healthcare. E-health includes electronic medical records, electronic prescribing, electronic payment, and other useful applications to improve operational efficiency and quality of care.

  • Why is e-health important?

    E-health is important because the application of electronic information technology to healthcare can promote better quality of care as well as significantly increase efficiency and cost savings. E-health contributes to these ends by, among other things, promoting accuracy in documentation, increasing healthcare providers’ access to accurate patient information, eliminating excess paper, and increasing the speed at which information is delivered to and from healthcare providers.

  • What is an electronic medical record?

    There are many names to describe current efforts to computerize medical records. “Electronic Medical Record” (EMR) systems are used by healthcare providers to electronically store and manage patients’ medical records, and are often centered around one venue of care. “Electronic Health Records” expand on EMR by bridging the information across multiple venues of care. “Longitudinal Medical Records” attempt to bridge both the locations of care and episodes of care, by tracking a patient’s medical treatment at multiple venues over time.

    Electronic medical records, in all the forms listed above, include patient demographics and clinical information, allow direct entry of data by healthcare providers, and may include tools to support healthcare providers’ appropriate clinical decision-making. Electronic medical records may also support data collection for additional uses, such as billing, quality management, resource planning, and measurement of outcomes.

  • Why are electronic medical records better than paper records?

    Electronic medical records have many advantages over paper records. With paper records, usually only one person can use the chart at a given time and keeping track of the location of the chart can sometimes be difficult. Healthcare providers also experience delays waiting for medical records personnel to retrieve paper charts. Electronic records solve these problems, as many clinicians can view an electronic medical record at any given time, and electronic records can usually be located and retrieved immediately. Electronic medical records are also usually better organized than paper records, eliminate illegible handwriting, and allow storage of more information over a longer period of time.

  • What is the interoperable exchange of electronic health information?

    Interoperable exchange of electronic health information means that authorized healthcare providers at different organizations and across different sites of care (e.g. hospitals, physician offices, clinics, etc.) would all be able to electronically share a patient’s comprehensive clinical health information for purposes of treating the patient. In many instances, the patient would also have access to the electronic records.

  • How can interoperable electronic medical records benefit consumers?

    Interoperable electronic medical records would allow healthcare providers access to more complete information about the patient’s past and current treatment than would be possible without a shared system. Better information can lead to better continuity of care, especially for patients who have received fragmented care as a result of changing health plans or shifting public program eligibilities. Patients may also avoid duplicate treatment or redundant laboratory or diagnostic tests that were previously performed by a different provider.

  • What are the benefits of interoperable electronic medical records with regard to prescribing and managing patients’ medications?

    Healthcare providers are best able to coordinate a patient’s multiple medications when they have complete information about the patient’s past and current treatment by other providers. An interoperable system would give healthcare providers access to the electronic records of the other providers who are also treating the patient. As a result, patients may experience fewer medication interactions.

    An electronic system would also eliminate illegible handwritten medication orders, which could decrease errors that would have been caused by poor handwriting. An electronic system could also assist with calculating drug dosages, and could send an error message to the clinician if a medication or dosage is outside certain parameters. Finally, an electronic system could highlight or screen for patients’ drug allergies.

  • How can interoperable electronic medical records benefit society on a larger scale?

    An interoperable system could significantly increase efficiency and cost savings by eliminating duplicate tests and treatments, increasing continuity of care, and fostering better care as a result of healthcare providers having better information. An interoperable system should also reduce administrative costs by eliminating the need to send paper records from provider to provider.

  • How would an interoperable electronic medical record system protect patients’ privacy?

    An interoperable electronic medical record system would most likely utilize sophisticated security and encryption technologies, and restrict access only to authorized users for appropriate purposes. In addition, the system would need to comply with all applicable State and federal laws with regard to medical information, privacy, and security.

  • Is the federal government involved in e-health?

    Yes. In early 2004, President Bush announced a federal initiative to support interoperable electronic systems for e-health, and established a new position of National Health Information Technology Coordinator within the federal Department of Health and Human Services. The new federal Technology Coordinator, David J. Brailer, M.D., Ph.D., has issued a 10-year strategic plan to implement widespread adoption of electronic medical records and a nationwide interoperable health information network. The plan contains a number of goals and important action steps regarding e-health that eventually could lead to improved quality of care, reduction in medical errors, and lower healthcare costs.

• Background Questions Regarding the Health-e-LA Coalition

  • What is Health-e-LA?

    Health-e-LA is a growing coalition of healthcare plans and providers, healthcare associations, public agencies, foundations, universities, consumer groups and researchers dedicated to developing an infrastructure for multi-organizational electronic exchange of clinical healthcare information throughout Los Angeles County. The coalition was launched in early 2004 by three co-conveners: L.A. Care Health Plan, the County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services, and the Los Angeles County Medical Association. Health-e-LA is postured to serve as the "RHIO" for the Los Angeles County region.

  • What organizations participate in Health-e-LA?

    The current participants include:
    

    • AARP
    • California Association of Physician Groups
    • Cedars-Sinai Health System
    • Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
    • Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County
    • Cooperative of American Physicians
    • First 5 LA Commission
    • HIMSS Southern California Chapter
    • Hospital Association of Southern California
    • Huntington Hospital
    • Kaiser Permanente
    • L.A. Care Health Plan
    • L.A. Health Action/The California Endowment
    • Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services
    • Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
    • Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
    • Los Angeles County Medical Association
    • Memorial Health Services of Long Beach
    • Rand Corporation
    • The Institute of Community Pharmacy
    • UCLA Healthcare
    • USC Health Collaborative

  • Are there other organizations like Health-e-LA?

    There are various organizations like Health-e-LA throughout the United States, each beginning to plan toward interoperable exchange of electronic medical records and discussing the specific needs of their particular regions.

  • How often does the Coalition meet

    The Coalition and its various workgroups and Task Forces usually meet on a monthly basis. Meetings may be held more frequently depending on the needs of specific projects or activities at a given time.

  • How is Health-e-LA funded?

    So far the Coalition has been funded through modest seed grants by several of its participants.

  • How can my organization join the Health-e-LA Coalition?

    Health-e-LA welcomes the participation of various organizations with an interest in healthcare in the Los Angeles region. For further information, please contact us.