Utah Health Information Network Chooses Axolotl for Statewide Health Information Exchange to Improve the Quality of Patient Care

Business Wire, Jan 12, 2009

Clinicians to Securely Access Complete Patient Data when Administering Care

SAN JOSE, Calif. & SALT LAKE CITY -- Axolotl Corp. of San Jose has been selected to supply technology and services to power UHIN's clinical information exchange network (cHIE), a statewide initiative to provide clinicians with the ability to electronically locate, connect to, and review, in an integrated manner, patient information scattered across multiple health care organizations.

"Using Axolotl's proven Elysium[R] Exchange technology, UHIN will electronically connect Utah physicians, other clinicians, hospitals, labs and public health departments so that clinical information can be securely shared - with patient permission - and made available when and where it is needed," stated Jan Root, Ph.D., UHIN Executive Director.

"Imagine walking into an emergency department or a new physician's office and allowing them to immediately retrieve your relevant medical records, from various sources, through a secure and private electronic network," said Scott Williams, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer, Mountain Division of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). "Your doctor will have the information needed to make the best health care decisions and avoid unnecessary duplication of tests and treatments. This has the potential to improve health care services much like the ATM improved banking services. It's that significant."

A community-focused, state, not-for-profit, UHIN operates a secure valued-added network (VAN) for healthcare in the state of Utah. This network allows for the transmission of administrative and clinical healthcare transactions between providers and payers. UHIN has been self-supporting and exchanging healthcare administrative data since 1993. The network utilizes a cutting-edge web services approach, enabling all providers and payers in the state of Utah to transact claims, remittance information, etc. The cHIE is the next step to a fully connected health care environment, and is foundational to several health system reform proposals being considered by the Utah State Legislature.

"I am excited about the potential that the cHIE brings to authorized physicians and clinical providers across the state of Utah, enabling them to safely and appropriately share important clinical information," said Marc Probst, Chief Information Officer, Intermountain Healthcare. "UHINs staff is focused on implementing Elysium Exchange quickly and efficiently, supporting our goal of improving patient care in Utah. I am confident that the strong team assembled will be able to overcome the challenges ahead and am proud to be associated with UHIN."

"Every day, Utah clinicians make decisions without access to all the necessary patient information because this information is often scattered among different healthcare organizations that are not connected," said Dr Root. "Scattered information wastes precious clinician time, causes unnecessary ordering of repeat laboratory and radiology tests, reduces the accuracy of diagnoses, and contributes to medical errors that may harm or even kill the patient. Axolotl was the clear leader to provide solutions for the challenges we face."

"All the different vendors made the same claims during their presentations, but Axolotl's experience set them apart," shared Dr. Williams. "Their product is actively exchanging clinical information in many communities around the country right now- it is live and real."

With patient permission, clinicians will be able to access information from federated sources via Axolotl's Elysium Virtual Health Record (VHR). Clinical results will be delivered electronically to ambulatory EMRs, Axolotl's Elysium EMR Lite with ePrescribing, and public health departments, eliminating the paper chase and automating workflow processes. Axolotl will provide hosting and related services.

"We are excited by the enthusiasm and dedication UHIN has shown during this selection process and we are eager to move forward with the state-wide rollout," shared Ray Scott, Axolotl CEO. "Together we will clinically connect the state of Utah, improving patient care and outcomes, and eliminating wasted heath care dollars."

Interoperability of electronic health information and regional health information organizations have been at the center of the Bush administration's plans to make electronic health records more readily available. President-elect Barack Obama has taken this to the next level, identifying health information technology as a critical component of the economic stimulus package and the subsequent planned health care reform.

About UHIN

Since 1993, UHIN members have come together for the common goal of reducing health care costs and improving the quality of care through the use of electronic data interchange (EDI), that is, by exchanging information electronically rather than by phone, fax or surface mail. The Utah Health Information Network (UHIN) is a broad-based coalition of Utah health care insurers, providers, and other interested parties, including State government. UHIN provides a private and secure gateway for electronic data exchanges that includes the large integrated healthcare corporations as well as the smallest one doctor office. UHIN's coalition utilizes standardized message formats agreed upon through consensus.