200+ Providers at the Integrated Physician Network (iPN) and Clinica Family Health Services Join HIE

Providers set sights beyond instant access to patient information and look forward to a future where HIE supports population health management.

iPN, including one of its most notable members, Clinica Family Health Services, have recently signed agreements to join CORHIO’s health information exchange (HIE). The organizations will soon have the ability to seamlessly and electronically access clinical data across organizations outside of their local network connection with Centura Health hospitals — including Boulder Community Hospital, Longmont United Hospital, and other health care providers in the region.

iPN is a Unique Regional Accountable Care Organization on the Cutting Edge

More than 200 physicians and other care providers across 40 practice sites on the Front Range participate in the iPN. The collaborative is well-known as a trailblazer in the area of EHR utilization and population health management. A guiding principle of iPN is that while their practices are independent, they are clinically integrated through population-based quality initiatives, benchmarking and sharing of best practices. These core values result in care coordination that is more patient-centered, efficient and cost-effective.

“A significant amount of our patient information comes from sources outside of our provider network, such as regional community hospitals, labs and imaging centers,” explained Dr. David Ehrenberger, chief medical officer of iPN. “That’s why we are so excited to be a part of the HIE; it is launching us into a new era and taking us a step closer to proactive population health management.”

Clinica Delivers World-Class Care to the Underserved With Health IT

Clinica Family Health Services — called a “star clinic” in the New England Journal of Medicine—is a community health center serving more than 40,000 low-income and underserved people each year. Clinica is considered a patient-centered medical home and provides a “one-stop-shop” for its patients to not only be seen by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, but also fill prescriptions and even receive dental care. The health center has five locations across Boulder, Broomfield and Adams counties.

For the last two decades, Clinica has focused on improving patient health outcomes and transforming primary care delivery. All five of Clinica’s locations are completely electronic and the center uses data collected through its EHR system for the management of chronic conditions and diseases, such as diabetes and asthma.

“Technology has greatly increased Clinica’s ability to collect and analyze important clinical data, which in turn shows us where we have opportunities to improve our delivery of care to our patients and community,” said Carolyn Shepherd, MD, medical director of Clinica. “CORHIO will significantly expand our access to this data across the wider community where our patients access care. Having this complete view of the care our patients receive across the continuum will show us where we can better help them as they move through these systems. This functionality is the core of developing accountable care.”

iPN and Clinica Share CORHIO’s Vision of Population Health Management Via HIE

iPN and Clinica believe that information technology lies at the core of population health management. CORHIO’s vision for HIE includes expanding its functionality to support providers interested in analyzing data for population health initiatives. CORHIO is currently building out its technology capabilities to support providers, like iPN, that have special data and reporting needs with regard to chronic disease management and accountable care organizations.