Health Information Exchange

Health information exchange (HIE) refers to the process of reliable and interoperable electronic health-related information sharing conducted in a manner that protects the confidentiality, privacy, and security of the information.  Essential to this process is the capability to employ nationally recognized standards as they are established incrementally, further enabling interoperability, security, and confidentiality of the information as well as authorization of those who access the information.

HIE supports the sharing of health-related information to facilitate coordinated care through the use of EHRs.  HIE can also provide key information to individuals to promote health and wellness, and can be used to support research, public health, emergency response, and quality improvement.  Additionally, HIE enables the sharing of health-related information among health care organizations and with individuals on a local, regional, and national basis.  This interplay of electronic health records and health information exchange is an important component in establishing the basics of an infrastructure that will become the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN). (National Alliance for HIT Report on Defining Key HIT Terms, April 28, 2008)

Wisconsin Relay of Electronic Data (WIRED) for Health 

This project will build substantial health information exchange capacity statewide to support providers’ meaningful use of electronic health records and enable efficient, appropriate, and secure flow of information to optimize decisions for health. The approach is to plan, develop, and implement interoperable, standards-based, secure electronic exchange of patient and health data. (For project details, visit WIRED for Health.)

Advancing Statewide HIE through a State-Level HIE (SLHIE) Planning and Design Project

The SLHIE planning and design project was an important step in advancing the Wisconsin eHealth Action Plan, and the State and Federal governments' HIT goals. The project was designed to plan and design a SLHIE business architecture and underlying governance structure, and a statewide technical architecture for HIE. Since a significant amount of incentive funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is directed at providers' adoption and use of certified EHRs that are connected in a way that provides for the electronic exchange of health information, moving forward with this project has become even more essential and immediate. The Department of Health Services entered into a contract with Deloitte Consulting on May 11, 2009, to complete the project.  (SLHIE Project Documents)

• Health Information Exchange Regional Summit Meetings (Locations and Materials)
• State kicks off health information exchange planning project, June 18, 2009

Medicaid Transformation Grant (MTG) HIE Initiative - Emergency Department (ED) Linking Project

The ED Linking Project designed and implemented a secure, rapid-response HIE system.  This system will be accessible through workstations at Milwaukee County's hospital EDs, local and state public health departments, and initially one Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC).  *For more information on WHIE and the ED Linking Project HIE, see Section 4.1.1.1.1 of the Wisconsin HIT Strategic and Operational Plan (PDF, 4289 KB).

• Wisconsin MTG Application (PDF, 256 KB) October 2, 2006

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Last Revised: June 10, 2011