Health Information Exchange allows health care professionals and patients to appropriately access and securely share a patient’s vital medical information electronically. There are many health care delivery scenarios driving the technology behind the different forms of health information exchange available today.

Sharing updated, electronic patient information with other providers enables you to:

• Access and confidentially share patients’ vital medical history, no matter where your patients are receiving care—specialists’ offices, labs or emergency rooms
• Provide safer, more effective care tailored to your patients’ unique medical needs

The needs and requirements for health information exchange differ from practice to practice, and the solutions available differ from state to state. While several options may be available, there are specific questions physicians should be asking to determine what solution is best for them.