Mississippi Health Information Network (M-HIN) - Project Title: Mississippi Health information Network (M-HIN)
State Included in the Application: Mississippi
Applicant Name: State of Mississippi
Address: PO Box 139 Jackson, MS 39205
Contact Name: Candice Whitfield
Contact Phone Numbers: 601-576-2011 (voice) 601-576-2791 (fax)
E-mail Address: cwhitfield@governor.state.ms.us
Congressional Districts: District 001 (Travis Childers), District 002 (Bennie Thompson), District 003, (Greg Harper), District 004 (Gene Taylor)
For the last two years, the Mississippi Health Information Infrastructure Task Force has been developing recommendations to present to the Governor on planning and implementation of a statewide HIE. The recommendations developed by the Task Force will be used to advance the strategic and operational plans. In addition, the Task Force was able to secure funding to implement a regional exchange on the Mississippi coast. The Mississippi Coastal Health Information Exchange (MSCHIE) is an exchange among participating coastal providers as well as a repository of health information that can be accessed and electronically transported and will serve to increase the adoption of HIE on the coast.
The goal of the M-HIN project is the formation of a statewide HIE focusing on integrating patient information and linking providers on an interoperable network to improve patient care and reduce costs. The objectives are: decreasing medical errors due to gaps in information between providers and providing a platform for improving chronic care management; 2) decreasing uncertainty among patients and increasing compliance; 3) decreasing duplication of services; 4) providing a central data repository containing a record similar to the Continuity of Care Records as defined by the HL-7 Clinical Document Architecture; 5) providing the patient with access to his or her own health records via a web-based portal; 6) providing bio-surveillance and syndromic surveillance systems; 7) enhancing the confidentiality and privacy of medical information and 8) improving coordination of care between hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers.
Mississippi continually ranks in the bottom of the nation in most health outcome measures and has ranked among the lowest in studies of healthcare status in the United States. Mississippi also has a high rate of total mortality, including the highest rate of infant mortality, premature death, and death secondary to cardiovascular disease. There is a large population of children living in poverty in Mississippi compared to other states and an alarming prevalence of obesity and diabetes. It is imperative that the state provide physicians a better way to manage patient care and enhance the quality and reliability of healthcare delivery. The expected outcomes of the project include: reduction in healthcare costs, tracking of public health indicators, better health outcomes, reduction in chronic disease, higher incidence of prevention and wellness measures, reduction of staff spent on administration and improved compliance of the patient.
In the short-term the cooperative agreement funding will be used to assess the MSCHIE demonstration project. The state will evaluate the success of the project. In addition, the state will begin to review the most efficient way to conduct the environmental scan. The environmental scan is necessary in understanding the state???s readiness for broad adoption of HIT and HIE. Work will begin with key stakeholders to develop strategies and a framework for a statewide HIE. A successful HIE must be constructed in a manner that benefits all relevant stakeholders and the state will provide a forum to identify mutual benefits and tie those to the greater good provided by a HIE. Stakeholders will be actively involved in developing both the strategic and operational plans. The long-term deliverable includes creating a framework and implementing the Mississippi Health Information Network.
