Governor Names Lakelands Rural Health Network to SC Health Information Exchange Committee

Posted by admin on November 19, 2009 under News | 2 Comments to Read

PRESS RELEASE

 

Governor Names Lakelands Rural Health Network to SC Health Information Exchange Committee

 

Columbia, SC

 

South Carolina Health Information Exchange, also known as SCHIEx operates as the Health Information Exchange for several projects throughout the state, including the Lakelands Rural Health Network – Lakelands Connect. The Health Information Exchange allows doctors in a six county region to electronically share a patient’s medical information or health facts between doctor’s office, hospitals and other health care providers. The secure Protected Health Information (PHI) contains electronic health information about a patient’s health care, such as; medications, diagnoses,  x-rays results, laboratory results, and common problems. The patient’s health information can only be seen by doctors who participate in Lakelands Rural Health Network – Lakelands Connect. The system developed in the Lakelands Connect counties is one of the first in the state and one of the very few in the Southeast.

 

Lakelands Rural Health Network – Lakelands Connect covers a six county region in South Carolina: Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, and Saluda. The Health Information Exchange allows doctors to gain access and make critical decisions that impact a patient’s treatment and patients will have the confidence knowing that their medical history follows them wherever they go.

 

On October 16, 2009, the Governor signed an Executive Order establishing the Interim Governance Committee for the South Carolina Health Information Exchange. This Committee will play an important role in laying the ground work for a successful Health Information Technology transition in South Carolina. The Governor has appointed Sue Veer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Lakelands Rural Health Network and President and CEO of Carolina Healthcare Centers, to this committee along with the leaders of the SC Hospital Association, SC office of Rural Health, SC Medical Association, SC Primary Health Care Association, SC Pharmacy Association, SC Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Research and Statistics of the SC Budget and Control Board, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Health Sciences South Carolina, and a consumer representative.

 

The role of the Interim Governance Committee will be to recommend strategies and policies central to the successful implementation and sustainability of a statewide Health Information Exchange. The committee will advise and assist with the development of proposed enabling legislation to create a permanent governing body.

 

For additional information, please contact Dawn Wichmann, Executive Director of the Lakelands Rural Health Network, at 864 330-8221.