HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Greater Houston Health Information Exchange (GHHIE) today announced the formation of its collaborative health information exchange network. The non-profit GHHIE, founded by the Harris County Healthcare Alliance and the Center for Houston's Future in mid-2010, will electronically connect healthcare and wellness providers and clients to enable access to patient records for true continuity of care. In April 2011, the GHHIE embarked on a collaborative process for planning, designing, building and operating a robust health information exchange in the Greater Houston area.
The GHHIE has received significant support from major healthcare providers in the region as well as from physicians and community leaders. More than 60 hospitals and 70 percent of the area’s hospital bed capacity are represented by the major health systems. Through a collaborative effort with the Harris County Medical Society, the GHHIE has received letters of interest from more than 5,000 physicians. Many of these providers participated in the planning effort to develop the value-added services that will soon be offered to the community.
“We are excited to collaborate with the business leaders, healthcare providers and the community representatives in the Greater Houston area,” said GHHIE President and CEO Kay Carr. “Regional health information organizations represent true progress in creating healthier communities by ensuring that the right information is available to the right healthcare provider at the right time.” Carr, who has extensive healthcare technology and financial leadership experience with the St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System and other academic healthcare institutions across the United States, was named the GHHIE’s President and CEO in March 2011 and has been successful in solidifying community and organizational support to bring this important health initiative to realization.
“The GHHIE is a logical next step in the evolution of healthcare, and it further solidifies Houston’s role as a worldwide leader in primary medical care, specialized services and scientific research,” said GHHIE Board Chair Gilbert A. Herrera. The GHHIE board of directors, led by Herrera, encompasses a broad-based group of leaders in the Greater Houston area. Herrera recently welcomed newly appointed board members Dr. Marc Boom, The Methodist Hospital; Chris Born, Texas Children's Health Plan; Paul Frison, Houston Technology Center; Ivo Nelson, Encore Health Resources; and Dr. Lamar Pritchard, University of Houston College of Pharmacy. They join an already dynamic group of board members with a range of knowledge and experience in business, healthcare, and community and patient advocacy.
About the Greater Houston Health Information Exchange
The GHHIE is a neutral multi-stakeholder organization responsible for enabling information exchange among healthcare providers in the Greater Houston area which encompasses a 14-county region. It is tasked with mobilizing healthcare information electronically across organizations to enhance the safety, quality, and efficiency of care and improve information access throughout the region. Key stakeholders include healthcare providers, payers, employers and the community as a whole.
GHHIE Board Members
Gilbert A. Herrera, Herrera Partners (Chair)
Dr. Marc Boom, The Methodist Hospital • Chris Born, Texas Children’s Health Plan
George S. Conklin, CHRISTUS Health • Paul Frison, Houston Technology Center
Roger Galatas, Roger Galatas Interests LLC • Dr. William S. Gilmer, Harris County Medical Society
Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Vesalius Ventures • Michael K. Jhin, Community representative
Harris L. “Shrub” Kempner, Jr., Kempner Capital Management Inc. • David S. Lopez, Harris County Hospital District
Ruthanne Mefford, The Mefford Group, Child Advocates of Fort Bend County
Osama Mikhail, Ph.D., University of Texas Health Science Center • Ivo Nelson, Encore Health Resources
Lamar Pritchard, Ph.D. University of Houston College of Pharmacy
Dr. Ben Raimer, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston • Dr. Stephen J. Spann, Baylor College of Medicine
Dan Wilford, Community representative