State Government Department of Health DataMotion Success Story
DataMotion utilizes DataMotion Direct Secure Messaging and Direct Web Services APIs and Platform as a Service (PaaS) to integrate seamlessly into a State Government’s Department of Health’s existing EHR & Patient Platform to secure exchanges and meet PHI regulations
Background
This large department of health works to protect, promote and improve the health of all residents in their state through integrated state, county and community efforts. One part of their mission is to provide primary care for individuals with limited access to such care from the private sector. Health care of the sick and disabled is a role that the department undertakes when individuals lack the financial resources, or otherwise lack access to health care services. A second part of the department’s mission is to monitor and track certain communicable diseases. By law, certain conditions must be reported to the department of health. Besides a central state office, the department includes over 50 county health departments, more than 20 children’s medical services area offices, and several medical quality assurance regional offices, disability determinations regional offices and public health laboratories. An internally developed electronic health records (EHR) system is used by all county departments in more than 100 facilities with 11,000 users. A centralized team of 40 staff oversee and manage the EHR. In 2012, the EHR was certified under the 2011 criteria for meaningful use. The patient portal is provided using Microsoft HealthVault.
Requirements
- Integrate with Microsoft HealthVault patient portal
- Send Direct Secure Messaging (Direct) to HealthVault
- Provide Health Information Service Provider (HISP) services which meet 2014 Meaningful Use criteria within a short timeframe
- Include a healthcare provider directory making it simple for providers to access other providers’ Direct addresses
Challenges:
- Expiration of 2011 meaningful use criteria
- Short time frame to recertify under 2014 meaningful use criteria
- Integration with Microsoft HealthVault
Challenges
The department’s EHR was originally certified in 2012 under the 2011 meaningful use criteria. In 2015, the department had to recertify under 2014 criteria. This presented some challenges for the department. First there was a short timeframe to complete the 2014 certification. Missing this date would mean lengthy delays due to backlogs for obtaining certification. Second, 2014 criteria required the department to send messages using Direct Messaging and to provide patients the ability to view online, download and transmit their health records. This meant healthcare data must be sent from the EHR to the patient portal. HealthVault could only communicate with a Health Information Service Provider (HISP) or Direct vendor.
The department’s existing HISP service (provided through another agency) was not working well. This meant the department had to quickly become a HISP or retain the services of another HISP for sending Direct messages.
SOLUTIONS:
DataMotion Direct Secure Messaging, DataMotion Direct Web Services API & Microsoft HealthVault
Solution
The department sought to elevate their HISP services by exploring options from external vendors, aiming for improved quality and reduced costs. . A bid was issued and received three submissions. DataMotion’s robust platform and comprehensive secure data exchange services stood out from the competition, ultimately resulting in their selection as the department’s HISP. “DataMotion provided a very detailed bid, and was the only vendor bidding with a health provider directory,” said the department’s EHR project manager. “From the beginning, DataMotion gave us the confidence they knew what they were doing. They came highly recommended and they did not disappoint.”
To successfully provision patient Direct addresses programatically, the department chose to utilize Microsoft HealthVault’s auto-provisioning feature. Phase one of the project began with integrating DataMotion Direct services into the department’s electronic health records to generate a Continuity of Care Document (CCD). DataMotion Direct services were then integrated with the HealthVault patient portal using the DataMotion Direct Secure Messaging API for secure patient communication. “We really relied on DataMotion for integrating Direct with Microsoft HealthVault. DataMotion was very responsive and helpful with testing and working through integration issues.”
“Integration turned out to be quite challenging due to limited documentation from HealthVault,” the project manager continued. “While everything was correct according to Microsoft documentation, the workflow was still not completing. DataMotion worked with our team extensively to solve this issue. We discovered, after testing each parameter under several circumstances, that Microsoft did not document any restrictions about the subject line contents, and that turned out to be the issue.”
Results
Using a button within the EHR user interface, a provider can now click to generate a CCD and send it securely to the patient portal. The department’s patients can easily access their electronic health information through the portal. The quick integration also enabled the department to recertify under the 2014 Meaningful Use criteria.
With DataMotion’s help, the department also built a messaging interface within the EHR that allows a user to author a Direct Message within the EHR, attach the healthcare information and send to any Direct address holder. This feature will be rolled out prior to year-end, along with a marketing campaign to get patients using the portal. “Right now we only have Direct addresses for about 10 – 11 percent of our patients,” said the project manager. “With these new capabilities, we hope to dramatically increase that number, and in the process, get our patients more engaged with their care. Providers are also better able to coordinate communications with providers not in the department’s health network.”
“DataMotion Direct services are so transparent and easy to work with, none of our users even know they are there.”
State Government Department of Health EHR Project Manager
