NMHIC is a health information exchange (HIE), and its supporting community collaborative. NMHIC was created and is operated by LCF Research to improve patient care efficiency and safety by connecting doctors to electronic patient Information scattered across different medical care organizations in our community. It accomplishes this with a secure, web-based portal that replaces phone/fax/mail communications.
How does NMHIC Protect Patient Privacy?
All patient records continue to be located at the original site of patient care. NMHIC only maintains a centralized master patient index to locate records for each patient across community health care sites. There is no central database of patient records in NMHIC.
Patient consent is always required before patient information can be accessed through NMHIC.
Full audit logs are maintained of all user accesses to patient records.
Privacy is further protected by written legal agreements.
Data security methods include: VPN, encryption, strong authentication, and comprehensive data center security.
Benefits of NMHIC to New Mexico
Improve care coordination and continuity by enabling clinicians (with patient consent) to view information scattered across different medical care systems (patient demographics, lab results, radiology results, medication history, discharge summaries, emergency responder information, etc.).
Save significant time and money by reducing redundant laboratory and radiology tests.
Perform efficient public health reporting electronically through NMHIC.
Access patient information from the Veterans Health Administration, Department of Defense, Indian Health Services, or any other health information network that connects to the NHIN throughout the USA.
Connect Electronic Health Record systems across different healthcare facilities more cost-effectively.
