RAND: HIEs are still ‘experiments’ in need of further study

Fierce EMR December 1, 2014
Marla Durben Hirsch

The jury is still out as to whether health information exchanges (HIEs) are delivering as promised, since it appears that very few of them have been evaluated, according to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The study, conducted by the RAND Corporation and supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, reviewed selected databases from January 2003 to May 2014. The researchers found that while there are more than 100 HIEs currently operating in the U.S., only 13 have been examined; of those, six were in New York state.
Moreover, the study concentrated on HIEs and hospital emergency departments, where there was some evidence that HIEs reduce utilization and costs. However, the effects...

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