MHIN Connects Healthcare Utilizing the Direct Protocol to Support Transitions of Care

    SOUTH BEND, IN, August 26, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- As a DirectTrust accredited candidate, MHIN (Michiana Health Information Network) continues to support connected healthcare throughout the Midwest by building a comprehensive community network utilizing the Direct protocol for physicians and healthcare providers to securely and electronically communicate with each other to exchange key clinical information including continuity of care documents (CCDs) at transitions of care, a requirement under Stage 2 Meaningful Use. MHIN, a national leader in health information exchange (HIE) brings more than fifteen years of health IT experience to the Midwest region in which they serve.

"While most hospitals and physician offices that we serve make Meaningful Use a top priority, there are critical providers within the healthcare continuum who are not able to participate in the government incentive program. As a result, MHIN has worked hard to develop a Direct network within our community where providers can communicate directly with one another and exchange CCDs with or without certified EHR technology (CEHRT), to streamline patient care, improve health outcomes and make Meaningful Use truly meaningful," said Tim Roberts, MHIN's Chief Executive Officer.

MHIN's HIE and health information service provider (HISP) infrastructure is positioned to facilitate the exchange of transitions of care and referrals from one facility to another. Realizing that many providers in the community did not have CEHRT with Direct capabilities, MHIN filled the gap by providing Direct to skilled nursing facilities, mental health facilities, small physician offices and others within the MHIN service region so that everyone could receive summary of care documents. By bringing regional HIE capabilities and Direct Messaging to typically segregated sectors within the healthcare industry MHIN supports an HIE-enabled model for coordinated care from one setting of care to the next through a wide-array of services which utilize the Direct protocol including Meaningful Use, transitions of care, referrals, and event notification services.

Direct is an encrypted, HIPAA compliant industry standard that allows healthcare providers to securely communicate with one another. For providers and hospitals attesting to Stage 2 Meaningful Use, Direct Messaging must be met at a certain threshold to fulfill the summary of care measure. As both a HISP and DirectTrust accredited candidate, trust is secured by MHIN on behalf of all participating organizations. All members within the same HISP may message each other as well as providers in other HISPs across the nation in a secure, trusted framework.

If you are a healthcare provider interested in connecting to other providers through MHIN's Direct services please contact MHIN at (574) 968-1008.

MHIN
MHIN is one of the oldest and most successful health information exchanges and healthcare IT organizations in the United States. Since 1998, MHIN has been serving healthcare providers across the Midwest. MHIN provides secure, timely delivery of relevant clinical information through a number of technology and communication solutions that work to streamline secure access to data to improve quality and reduce costs. For more information, visit www.mhin.com.

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