WASHINGTON – The number of health information exchange initiatives that report being operational and exchanging data has increased nearly 40 percent since 2008, according to the eHealth Initiative's Sixth Annual Survey of Health Information Exchange.

Operational HIE initiatives jumped to 57, up from 42 in 2008, according to the survey, released Wednesday. Of that number, 40 reported cost savings resulting from health information exchange. Those savings included reduced staff time spent handling lab and radiology results, reduced staff time spent on clerical administration and filing, less money spent on redundant tests, a decrease in the cost of care for chronic care patients and fewer medication errors.

In addition, HIEs have reportedly had a positive impact on physician practices, allowing physicians to become more efficient through improved access to test results without disrupting care .

Physicians also reported an improved quality of practice life – including less hassles looking for information and getting home sooner at the end of the day,

For the first time in six years, initiatives identified "addressing privacy and confidentiality issues" as the most pressing challenge they face.

According to researchers at the eHealth Initiative (eHI), there is a great deal at stake for organizations promoting the exchange of health information, thanks to this year's passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

ARRA emphasizes health information exchange as a means of improving healthcare. The federal government is projected to spend at least $300 million in support of health information exchange activities in 2009 and 2010.  eHI leaders say their annual survey is the most comprehensive effort to understand and explain the efforts of health information exchanges.

Since 2004, eHI has tracked the efforts, successes and failures of organizations across the country working on health information exchanges. For the 2009 survey, 150 initiatives responded to and qualified for inclusion. eHI identified 43 additional initiatives that are functioning, but which did not complete the 2009 survey. Overall, eHI has identified and collected information on 193 active health information exchange initiatives in the country.