Posts Tagged :

Project

What Exactly Is a HISP? 1024 310 Team DataMotion

What Exactly Is a HISP?

In the healthcare industry, data is everything. From research to treating patients, having the right data to work with is critical. However, when patients need to see different doctors or specialists to receive treatment, exchanging information can become confusing.

This is where HISPs come in. A HISP is an entity or organization that facilitates the secure exchange of health information. HISPs provide the necessary infrastructure, standards and services to enable healthcare organizations, providers and systems to share health-related data securely. In other words, they make the exchange of patient data easier than ever.

Defining HISPs and Their Fundamental Purpose

What does the acronym “HISP” stand for? It means “health information service provider.” The term HISP is often used when discussing Direct Secure Messaging. HISPs facilitate the safe exchange of data and information between healthcare organizations. Some of the most valuable benefits of using a HISP include:

  • Collaborative care: When patients need treatment from other providers and specialists, the relevant healthcare professionals can send their information and medical history accordingly. Additionally, professionals can log patient health information on systems like health information exchanges (HIEs), allowing any healthcare facility to access common health records.
  • Data analytics: The healthcare industry is constantly producing valuable data. HISPs make it possible to collect and analyze health data to reduce healthcare costs and manage the health of a population.
  • Secure messaging: HISPs enable secure messaging services that allow healthcare entities to exchange sensitive health information while ensuring data privacy and compliance with health information security standards.
  • Interoperability support: HISPs help achieve interoperability by exchanging information across different healthcare systems, electronic health records (EHR) platforms and other health-related applications.
  • Data standards compliance: HISPs ensure data exchanged follows standardized protocols and data standards promoting consistency and compatibility.
  • Patient consent management: HISPs often include mechanisms for managing patient consent preferences for sharing health information.

The Inner Workings of HISPs

HISPs work by allowing health plans, doctors, practices and hospitals to exchange health information. A HISP’s primary function is to manage the security and sharing of patient healthcare data. All HISPs are monitored and regulated by the DirectTrust™, run by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HISPs offer cost-effective, rapidly deployed services that comply with health information-sharing regulations. A HISP is a much more reliable and preferred alternative to faxing information or using virtual private networks. These providers also offer access to the DirectTrust network. This network allows trading partners to exchange protected health information safely via the internet.

Health Information Exchange Systems

An electronic HIE aims to improve the interoperability and accessibility of patient data across different healthcare organizations. It gives doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals access to patient’s health information securely.

These systems can significantly improve the completeness of a patient’s records, which has a significant impact on the care they receive. The more information a healthcare provider has about the patient, the more thorough they can be, resulting in better quality of care for the patient. This includes the patient’s past and current diagnostics, medications, and other information that could improve patient outcomes and make it easier to treat them and identify an issue.

By using an HIE to share patient information promptly, doctors will have better information and avoid readmissions and errors. If a patient is allergic to something or responds more favorably to a specific type of treatment, that information would be readily available to the care provider.

The Role of HISPs in Healthcare and Patient Data Protection

HISPs offer healthcare organizations (hospitals, physicians, health plans, health information exchanges) and consumers an onramp to the Direct Secure Messaging network, where trading partners can exchange protected health information (PHI) in a structured and unstructured format across the internet with maximum security and privacy.

Exchange partners can easily find each other on the DirectTrust network through a healthcare provider directory (HPD), promoting fast collaboration and interoperability in sharing patient information.

Understanding Direct Messaging in HISPs

The nationwide messaging service delivered by HISPs and overseen by DirectTrust represents a modern, affordable, and standards-based alternative to sharing clinical data by fax, virtual private networks, and proprietary interfaces. The latter exchange methods are costly and increasingly outmoded as healthcare embraces digital communications with the economies, scale, and ubiquity of the internet.  Operationally, HISP-delivered Direct Secure Messaging services are most closely related to fax in that both methods “push” data between senders and recipients and return a delivery notification upon completion.

Collectively, HISPs are the communications backbone of the DirectTrust health information exchange.  Individually, they are access points to the DirectTrust network and are referred to as DirectTrust network service providers or Direct Trusted Agents.  Direct Secure Messaging, Direct exchange, ONC Direct, and HISP services are the terms generally used to describe the clinical data exchange service HISPs provide.

Because the electronic medical record message attachments (HL7 C-CDAs or CDA) processed by HISPs meet Health IT interoperability standards, PHI exchanged via Direct Secure Messaging can be sent and received from EHR workflows. The same standard allows data sharing among any EHR and any software solution connected to a HISP.  To use email as an analogy, you may have Microsoft Outlook installed on your computer, but if it isn’t connected to an email network, your emails can’t go anywhere, and none can get to you. Similarly, your EHR can send and receive Direct-compliant messages, but those messages won’t go anywhere unless you and those who you are communicating with have valid HISP service, addresses and DirectTrust certificates.

For Health IT developers seeking ONC/EHR Certification, HISPs are important partners. HISPs provide certification requirements related to Direct Secure Messaging that are out of scope for most developers, enabling them to meet and satisfy Certification requirements.

The Impact of HISPs on Healthcare Communication and Data Exchange

Some HISPs are end-user-facing with recognizable brand names and user interfaces while others operate behind the scenes as an integrated module of an EHR or similar health IT solution. Those that tightly integrate with EHRs or HIEs are sometimes owned and operated by the solution vendor and provide a captive service tailored to the solution. Independent (aka: pure-play) HISPs are typically full-service providers offering a range of connectivity and service options to suit the needs of a range of end-user requirements.

HISPs provide multiple sub-services underlying the Direct Secure Messaging service, including:

  • Direct Secure Messaging Addresses
    Direct addresses are similar to typical email addresses with the exception that they operate exclusively on the DirectTrust network.  DirectTrust network operators recognize the specialized digital certificate affixed to a Domain/Direct Address and can only be issued by an accredited DirectTrust HISP. The digital passport represented by the certificate makes Direct addresses unique from Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and similar addresses that operate on standard email.  The Certificate also encrypts messages and confirms the identity of the sender and receiver, resulting in non-repudiation.
  • DirectTrust Onramp Connectivity Options
    • Edge protocols (eg: XDR or S/MIME)
    • Web-based mail portal with accessibility support
    • Protocol transformation and routing: SMIME/SMTP, IHE XDR, web services
  • Digital Certificate Issuance and Live Cycle Management
    • The DirectTrust-authorized digital certificates provisioned by HISPs require specialized management and sharing capabilities that only HISPs are qualified to provide.
    • Participation in the DirectTrust Accredited bundle
    • Certificate issuance and registration authority
  • Identity Authentication (aka: identity proofing)
    • To keep the DirectTrust network clean of bad actors (e.g: spammers), HISPs are required to confirm the true identity of participants in Direct Messaging prior to provisioning a Direct Address
  • Message Delivery Notification
    • Message completion acknowledgements collected and reported out by HISPs are considered to be irrevocable proof of message delivery and thus have important weight in legal and CMS reporting
  • Direct Secure Messaging Service Support
    • Online and phone support for onboarding, connectivity issues and outages, and other service needs
    • High-availability and disaster recovery
  • Healthcare Provider Directory (HPD)
    • Publish Direct Addresses to DirectTrust HPD
  • Enforcing DirectTrust Rules of the Road
    • Maintain accreditation attesting to trust relations
    • Security and Trust Framework

The most notable benefits of using Direct Secure Messaging in healthcare include:

  • Reduced administrative costs: Secure messaging is a cost-effective solution and does not need manual processing. It’s easier to share information and can be done without needing extra staff members. This process saves time by cutting down on paperwork, which allows healthcare workers to spend more time caring for their patients.
  • Improve engagement and satisfaction: Healthcare centers, clinics, hospitals and practices that use secure messaging can provide patients with better experiences. Patients can now communicate more effectively and much faster with their healthcare providers. They no longer need to wait hours in a waiting room or make unnecessary trips to doctors or specialists. A more complete picture of patient health history drives a better quality of care and patient outcomes.
  • Streamlined scheduling: Security and efficiency are the two most important factors when dealing with healthcare information. Secure messaging embodies both of these factors. It allows for easy and highly secure communication between patients and healthcare providers. This system makes it convenient for the patients and greatly reduces time spent on administration.
  • Enhanced privacy and data protection: Healthcare providers and information sharing need to be taken seriously. Sensitive patient information needs to be well-protected. This information includes medical records, prescriptions and test results. Secure messaging protects this data through two-factor authentication, ensuring only the right people can access it. Encryption is used to protect this data from cyber threats and lowers the risk of identity theft. Using secure messaging in healthcare allows practitioners to trust their patient’s information is safe.

The Synergy Between APIs and HISPs

API stands for “application programming interface.” This software intermediary allows two applications to talk to each other and allows users to integrate various automation tools. Using an API can reduce administrative costs and boost efficiency. With automation, the amount of manual processing required is greatly reduced. From handling patient scheduling to grouping information together, automation and API can significantly enhance the efficiency and uses of a HISP.

Real-time data available through an API can be an excellent source for reliable data analysis and generating real-time insights. Aside from helping patients receive better care, APIs help providers give them the best patient experience possible.

Contact DataMotion Today for HISP Services

Now that you know everything about HISPs, be sure to read our blogs to learn everything you need to know about Direct and the Healthcare Provider Directory. DataMotion is an accredited HISP of Direct Secure Messaging, and we can support your HISP needs. Contact our team today to learn more.

Updated April 16, 2024

Join our Newsletter

What Is Direct Secure Messaging? 1024 402 Team DataMotion

What Is Direct Secure Messaging?

If you work in the health care industry, you may have heard the terms “Direct,” “Direct Exchange,” “Direct Secure Messaging” or “DSM” several times. This type of messaging plays an important role in keeping protected health information (PHI), such as personal details or medical data, protected.

We are exploring the ins and outs of Direct Secure Messaging and why it is highly useful and advantageous for health care and information technology (IT) professionals.

What Is Direct Messaging?

Developed in 2010 under a part of a federal project for standards-based communications, Direct Secure Messaging is an American encryption standard for securely exchanging clinical health care data digitally. It specifies a standards-based method for sharing PHI in a highly secure and scalable way.

Healthcare providers and organizations must meet the specific requirements for data transfer utilizing Direct Messaging to qualify for incentive payments. These standards are outlined in the Meaningful Use Stage 1 criteria from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) and are often demonstrated with electronic health records (EHRs). These records must comply with the ONC’s 2015 Edition Health Information Technology Certification Criteria, which includes rules for using Direct Messaging for the electronic exchange and transition of care records.

Direct Secure Messaging is leveraged by:

  • Hospitals
  • Providers/clinicians
  • Care team members
  • Patients
  • Laboratories
  • Pharmacies
  • Long-term care
  • Skilled nursing
  • Specialists
  • Dental

How Is Direct Secure Messaging Used?

Here are some of the ways Direct is useful for communicating or sharing private health information:

  1. Transitions of care: Direct allows health care providers to exchange Continuity of Care Documents (CCDs) and Clinical Document Architecture (CCD-A documents) that include patient information, like medical history, medications and allergies.
  2. Physician consult requests: You can also use Direct Secure Messaging for sending consult requests to other physicians and getting input from specialists to inform diagnoses and treatment plans.
  3. Admit-Discharge-Transfer Requests (ADT): Providers also utilize Direct to send admission, discharge or transfer information to other care facilities or hospitals.
  4. Medication reconciliation: Direct Messaging allows providers to exchange information about medication to ensure accurate reconciliation.
  5. Lab/test results: Medical laboratories can utilize DSM to share lab and test results directly with care providers.
  6. Patient communication: Direct facilitates important patient communications, like sharing appointment reminders, medication instructions and follow-ups.
  7. Order submission: Another use of Direct Secure Messaging is transmitting orders to other facilities, such as imaging centers or labs.
  8. Report distribution: DSM allows providers to share medical reports, like pathology reports or discharge summaries, with other care professionals.
  9. Peer–to–peer collaboration: Another beneficial way to use Direct Secure Messaging is for secure communication between health care providers. They can share patient information securely to improve care coordination.

How Does Direct Secure Messaging Work?

Direct can be incorporated into a variety of user interfaces such as an email client, a mobile device, health care IT system portals or an automated data delivery feed. Any of these interfaces are capable of sending or receiving Direct messages. But in order to participate, both sender and recipient users will need a specific Direct email address provided by their health information service provider (HISP). Health care IT systems can integrate Direct in multiple ways depending on the desired workflow.

The Importance of Direct Secure Messaging for Health Care Professionals

Why should you care about Direct Secure Messaging as a health care professional? Direct ultimately helps care providers save costs while delivering improved quality of care.

On the clinical side, Direct Secure Messaging addresses gaps in transitions of care, which have been identified as a significant patient safety issue. The incomplete exchange of patient health information among providers when transitioning from one care environment to another is a point of vulnerability that can compromise the overall quality of care a patient receives.

On the business side, Direct Messaging can reduce or eliminate the costs associated with fax workflows by transitioning relatively expensive fax communication to less expensive email workflows.

Key Benefits of Direct Messaging in Health Care

Direct Secure Messaging offers many advantages for professionals in the health care industry, including:

  • Strong security and privacy protection: DSM ensures that private health information remains secure as different health care entities exchange documents and consult one another. Direct employs advanced encryption and authentication to keep patients’ medical records confidential and accurate.
  • Improved care coordination: A major benefit of direct secure messaging is improving and streamlining communications between providers to enhance care coordination. With a seamless way to consult with other professionals and experts, care providers can ensure they facilitate the most advantageous diagnosis and treatment for their patients.
  • Efficiency and cost savings: Antiquated communication methods like faxing can be inefficient and expensive. Health care organizations can save significant time and money with Direct, as it reduces administrative burdens and streamlines communication.
  • Timely access to important information: DSM enables providers to access the medical and patient data they need as they need it. This helps care providers quickly inform decision-making, reduce errors and ultimately deliver better quality care. Easily sending and receiving information in real-time improves interconnectivity and coordination.
  • Enhanced patient engagement: Direct is an incredible method for the exchange of messages between health care providers and their patients. Those getting care can use DSM to ask questions or request appointments, helping them be active participants in their own care plans.
  • Meeting important regulatory compliance standards: DSM can help health care providers stay compliant with essential regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Abiding by applicable privacy and security laws is simpler with one unified standard that all systems can leverage.

The Role of Direct Secure Messaging in Health Care Interoperability

In addition to the benefits above, Direct Secure Messaging promotes interoperability between different health care providers and systems. DSM adheres to standardized formats and protocols, which help streamline the exchange of data across various platforms.

Standardization allows providers to seamlessly integrate information from multiple sources for informed decision-making and collaboration with other medical experts. Interoperability is essential for health care systems to communicate quickly, securely and effectively.

Regulatory Compliance and Secure Information Transfer

Today, data security is more important than ever. Health care providers must ensure they use communication mechanisms, such as the following, that offer outstanding protection against unauthorized access:

  • Encryption
  • Digital certificates
  • Access controls
  • Audit logs
  • Secure storage

In addition to featuring robust data security and abiding by important HIPAA guidelines, Direct Secure Messaging allows medical professionals to have peace of mind when transferring sensitive documents and messages.

Direct Secure Messaging for health information exchange ensures patient privacy and keeps medical data confidential, allowing health care providers to maintain trust and reliability.

How to Choose a Health Information Service Provider

Health care providers can obtain a Direct address through a health information service provider. A HISP helps authorized entities implement secure messaging infrastructure and technology platforms to support secure communication between different medical professionals.

The following are key considerations to help you determine the right provider for your specific practice:

  • Scalability: Consider whether or not the HISP has the capabilities to accommodate the volume of messages your organization will require. Factors like network bandwidth and server capacity will impact DSM scalability and reliability.
  • Support and training: Assess the quality and level of customer support and technical assistance the HISP can deliver for your practice. Ask about training opportunities for your team to learn how to maximize the benefits of DSM.
  • Reputation: Always choose a health information service provider with a reputation for providing excellent services, like DataMotion. Ask other medical or IT professionals about their experiences and get insight into the HISPs they recommend.

Explore DataMotion Direct Secure Messaging HISP Services

Secure, efficient messaging is critical to the health care industry today. With the Direct Secure Messaging HISP services from DataMotion, your health care or IT organization can easily exchange medical data and patient information with a massive number of clinical endpoints within the DirectTrust network.

Our services help you provide better care to your patient by simplifying care coordination. You can get easier access to medical records, even if you don’t have an electronic health record system.

Ready to learn more about our ONC-certified Direct Secure Messaging service? Contact us online to speak with an expert today!

Updated April 16, 2024

Join our Newsletter

  • 1
  • 2