Today, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) announced that he has signed an executive order to create the Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange, which will provide the IT architecture necessary to support interoperable electronic health records and electronic prescribing statewide, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor/Biloxi Sun Herald reports.
The Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange, or PHIX, will allow physicians, hospitals, pharmacies and other authorized health care providers to share patient data captured at the point of care.
In addition, the health data exchange aims to reduce duplicative tests and increase physicians' ability to access patients' prescriptions, laboratory tests, radiology exams and hospital discharge notes.
"Less time will be wasted waiting for patients' charts and for processing referrals. And, reporting of vital statistics and diseases will be more efficient and complete," Rendell said.
The health information exchange initiative is part of the governor's larger Prescription for Pennsylvania health care reform plan (Pennsylvania Office of the Governor/Biloxi Sun Herald, 3/27).
Rendell's executive order is available online (.pdf).