Technology

2008 Technology Activities

• Developed Security Policies

Any organization that participates with a Health Information must trust that every other member of the exchange will respect the rules for protecting PHI. Large hospitals have formal security policies dictating exactly how IT will protect patient data. Smaller clinics often have general HIPAA policies which do not cover specific IT related issues. In collaboration with Methodist Hospital, Memorial Hermann and several community clinics, HealthQuilt developed a Baseline Security Policy that the clinics could reasonably commit to and that were stringent enough that the large hospitals could ensure that their patient data was adequately protected. During this collaboration the HealthQuilt team was central in creating a balance between the clinics need for affordable IT solutions and the hospitals goal of high data stewardship standards. 

• Established a Data Center at University of Texas Health Science Center and tested the systems to meet UT security policies in addition to community hospital security policies. 

• Extended and Tested the Quality Health Record Functionality

The QHR is an application specifically designed to "close the loop on quality". After its donation into Open Source, the YDP QHR was further tested and developed by HealthQuilt and made available to the community.     Key elements in the QHR are:

• Developed and Tested Cost-effective Telemedicine Platforms
   

By embedding telemedicine capabilities directly into the web-based QHR, HealthQuilt will be able to provide tele-health services at a fraction of the typical costs using “curbside consulations”.   The next level will be utilization of scheduled live interactive telemedicine using Skype and high quality, low cost web-conferencing system, and a web-enabled phone for after hours consultation by physicians.     The focus is on 24 / 7 communication using the lowest cost vehicle to communicate- telephone access to the QHR, and low-cost video conferencing for patient-specialist encounters.     
 

• Tested and Implemented MIRTH in Proof of Concept Health Information Exchange Data Exchanges

Mirth is an open source health data routing engine. Its purpose is to handle the many irksome aspects of moving health data between applications and organizations. HealthQuilt has offered Mirth to the community not only as a means of transferring data between organizations, but as a tool designed to address internal integration issues.

Using Mirth, with the help of HealthQuilt engineers, San Jose Clinic has connected several different systems to its previously isolated practice management system.  We are currently in the process of connecting Health Care for the Homeless with Baylor College of Medicine.  The MIRTH tool will be the engine that will guide the priorities identified by the HIE survey of the fifty medical homes.    Testing has been completed for laboratory data, demographic data, and imaging data.   In addition, testing for integration was done for using MIRTH to integrate with existing Electronic Record Systems and Personal Health Records.   

Developed “Break the Glass” Authentication for Sharing Information for “Routine” and Disaster Situations.   This is currently in testing in the lab but will be ready for field testing in December.