The Bronx RHIO, representing 80 percent of the providers in this borough of 1.36 million residents, went “live” in July, becoming the first RHIO (regional health information organization) in New York City to begin exchanging patient data. To date, the Bronx RHIO has received consent forms from over 4,000 patients; and has trained 79 “early adopter” clinicians. There are now 55 care locations in the Bronx whose patients’ clinical data can be accessed with appropriate patient consent.
“The Bronx RHIO is slowly, but steadily, breaking new ground in the improvement of patient care in New York,” said Barbara Radin, executive director. “While other RHIOs in the metro area are under development, we are the first to go live and roll out our system to the benefit of patients. The Bronx represents a very large population by any measure. It is the equivalent of the tenth largest city in the nation, so we are very excited about the scale and the number of patients it will help.”
“This launch puts the Bronx RHIO at the forefront of bringing medical care in the borough into the Information Age,” said Don Ashkenase, executive vice president – corporate, at Montefiore Medical Center and chairman of the Bronx RHIO board. “
The initial patient data being exchanged by the Bronx RHIO’s hospitals, out patient clinics, physicians’ offices, nursing homes and home care agencies, includes: laboratory results, prescribed and dispensed medications, diagnoses, procedures, encounters, and demographic information. If patients do not sign the consent form, the Bronx RHIO cannot exchange their private health information and physicians will not have a complete picture of the patient’s condition and prior treatment.
Once a patient signs a consent form allowing the Bronx RHIO participants access to his or her private health information, the Bronx RHIO has a number of policies and administrative checks to ensure the information remains secure.
Participating Members
Hospitals: Bronx Lebanon Hospital, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Jacobi Medical Center, James J. Peters Bronx Veterans Administration Medical Center, Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center, Montefiore Medical Center, North Central Bronx Hospital, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, St Barnabas Hospital.
Community Health Centers: Bronx Community Health Network, Dr. Martin Luther King Health Center, Institute for Family Health, Mercy Community Care, MIC-Women’s Health Services, Morrisania Neighborhood Family Care Center, Morris Heights Health Center, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Neighborhood Family Care Center, Union Community Health Center, Urban Health Plan.
Long-Term Care Facilities: Beth Abraham Family of Health Services, Bronx Lebanon Special Care Center, Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Jewish Home and Hospital – Bronx Division, Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Campus, St. Barnabas Nursing Home.
Home Care Services: Beth Abraham Family of Health Services, Montefiore Home Health Care, Visiting Nurse Regional Health Care System, Visiting Nurse Service of NY.
