HARRISBURG, PA – A draft plan for PHIX, Pennsylvania's healthcare information exchange, has been made available for a 30-day public review and comment period.

To receive federal funding under the HITCH Act, Pennsylvania must submit "comprehensive strategic and operational plans" to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) in the Department of Health and Human Services.

The plan was developed by the Governor's Office of Health Care Reform in consultation with the PHIX Advisory Council, the Pa eHealth Initiative (an advisory board comprised of health information experts) and other stakeholders. It outlines how the commonwealth will govern, finance and implement the initiative.

Governance

The initial start-up of PHIX is being managed by the commonwealth in a "highly collaborative effort with stakeholders," and long-term governance will be managed by "public authority created through legislation."

Financing

To begin implementing PHIX in 2010, the commonwealth plans to use the $17.1 million it expects to receive in federal funding, as well as the GOHCR's current PHIX budget of $1 million. According to the plan, long-term funding will come from " an assessment on all medical claims paid by insurers."

Implementation

The commonwealth plans to enter into an "intergovernmental agreement" with Delaware to leverage the Delaware Health Information Network's contract for HIE services. The PHIX governing entity will then work with the Pennsylvania Regional Extension Center (PaREC) to promote HIT adoption.

"Healthcare providers across the nation lag far behind almost every other kind of business in using electronic data to better manage what they do," said GOHCR Director Ann S. Torregrossa. "The creation of a health information exchange will mark a huge step in transforming Pennsylvania's healthcare industry from one using paper records to one using electronic data which, ultimately, reduces the costs of healthcare."

Commonwealth officials say PHIX is poised to be a "superhighway" that securely connects healthcare practitioners, patients, hospitals, labs and diagnostic facilities and pharmacies, giving healthcare providers a complete and reliable record of a patient's medical history.

"Having a statewide health information exchange brings us closer to realizing a 21st Century medical system," Torregrossa said. "PHIX also allows the focus to return to the patient and not on the paperwork."

The draft plan can be viewed here.