BALTIMORE – Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Md.) has announced that Erickson Retirement Communities, Johns Hopkins Medicine, MedStar Health, and the University of Maryland Medical will collaborate on a statewide Health Information Exchange supported by the Maryland Health Care Commission.

The joint venture grew out of conversations in 2006 among the four partner organizations about how to leverage technology to improve the quality of care for Maryland patients.

The Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients or CRISP, a nonprofit joint venture formed by the four partner organizations, will be supported with $250,000 from the Health Services Cost Review Commission funded through the hospital rate-setting system. It will develop recommendations on a broad range of policies, principles, and designs for the secure exchange of patient information across multiple provider settings.

"Our team is thrilled to work with the Maryland Health Care Commission and all healthcare stakeholders throughout Maryland to put innovative technology to work for improving our patients' care," said John C. Erickson, chairman and CEO of Erickson Retirement Communities. "CRISP is another stride towards establishing Maryland as a leader in American healthcare. I applaud the leadership at our hospital partners and in state government for their vision."

CRISP will also seek to develop a framework for ensuring each participating patient's privacy and security.

A statewide HIE will improve turnaround times for retrieval of patient data, reduce redundant or unnecessary paperwork, and minimize adverse drug interactions and allergies. Over time, the partners believe that these benefits will lead to improved outcomes and lower costs.

A number of other stakeholders have agreed to participate in the CRISP initiative, including technology partners GE healthcare, Microsoft and HealthUnity. Other participants include The Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc., Baltimore Medical System, and The Shepherd's Clinic.