When someone is admitted to the hospital, it's not uncommon for multiple doctors from different disciplines to treat them. Sometimes, errors, duplications, and complications occur when healthcare providers do not properly share important healthcare information.

Patient and doctor communication, and information sharing between healthcare providers are crucial. Keep reading to learn why information sharing is of the utmost importance. 

Key Takeaways 

• Health Information Exchange (HIE) is an information-sharing system used to share patient and other medical information electronically.
  
  

• HIE helps increase efficiency in clinics and avoid medication errors, health complications and duplicate testing.
  
  

• HIE can improve patient outcomes. 

  
  

What Is Healthcare Information Sharing?

Health information sharing, more commonly known as Health Information Exchange (HIE), is a very important practice in the healthcare system. 

Dr. Karmen Williams, an Assistant Professor in Health Policy and Management from City University of New York, explains:

“Healthcare information exchange is the ability to securely share a patient’s health information electronically. Some of the benefits are more comprehensive record-keeping, reduction of duplicate testing, and overall better care coordination with all of your care providers.”

Before using this new electronic system, healthcare providers used paper and pens, which became inconvenient. This practice was insecure and made it difficult to find information quickly.   

Now, healthcare providers upload patient information into the electronic system, where other professionals like doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and patients can access it safely, securely and efficiently. 

A common question is, “How does this tie into HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)?” You may wonder if HIPAA prevents healthcare providers from sharing protected health information without your consent. 

HIPAA allows healthcare providers to share their medical information for treatment purposes. When sharing your medical information on the HIE, healthcare professionals typically practice only sharing information relevant to treatment. 

We'll go into the benefits of this system in more depth. In short, the HIE system bridges the gap of miscommunication between healthcare providers, increases access speeds, and, most importantly, provides a more secure way to share confidential information. 

Why Is Information Sharing Important in Healthcare? 

Here are the reasons why information sharing is such a critical role in efficient healthcare.

Increased Efficiency for the Clinic 

Clinics have a very wide range of services and treatments and see large numbers of patients. Because of this, they collect, process, store, and share patient information daily. This means their filing and sharing systems must be as efficient as possible. 

An HIE system allows people to access medical records more efficiently without long wait periods. 

Before electronic information systems, paper was the go-to method, but this meant files often went missing or took forever to find. These delays had unpleasant knock-on effects, such as impatient and annoyed patients, and frustrated nurses under pressure to find missing information.

HIE can increase the overall efficiency of clinics in all aspects, including administration, patient satisfaction and medical care. Sharing the correct information is critical for better patient care and the administrative department since the clinic needs all the correct medication information to bill insurers correctly.

Improved Patient Outcomes    

The patient also benefits from shared healthcare information. Healthcare, after all, is all about ensuring the patient outcome is successful. Sharing information correctly between healthcare providers improves safety and quality of care. 

For example, suppose a doctor other than the primary provider sees a patient. In that case, the new doctor can access the patient's medical information quickly and easily. 

If the information on file shows the patient has a family history of a disease, the doctor will know which treatment course is recommended and safest for the patient. 

This results in faster diagnosis, faster treatment and improved patient outcomes. HIE can also prevent the number of readmissions. Doctors can set the correct course of treatment the first time because they have all the information needed for the decision at their fingertips. Quality of care also improves because the information is readily available and correct. 

HIE is also beneficial for improving coordination of care if multiple doctors treat the same patient. Doctors using this form of patient information sharing will collaborate better to create a comprehensive and coordinated treatment plan to avoid causing unnecessary medication errors and health complications.

Avoid Medication Errors

Medication errors can occur when multiple doctors treat a patient and do not properly share patient information. In some cases, this can be life-threatening. 

Your doctor should note any allergic reactions or negative side effects you experience when taking medications so the next doctor who treats you does not prescribe them. 

Other medication errors include prescribing a medication that counteracts or reacts with a medication you’re already taking. For example, if your doctor doesn’t list what medication you are on and the dosage, another healthcare provider may prescribe something that should not be paired with it. HIE should help eliminate medication errors if practiced properly. 

As a patient, you can help prevent this by keeping records of what medications you’ve taken in the past, are currently on, and any reactions or negative side effects.

You can do this by using Trustworthy. It's a convenient online system to store all your important documents and lists in a secure space. One really useful aspect is the collaboration feature, which allows you to share information with family members in case of an emergency where they need your medical information.   

Avoid Unnecessary Health Complications   

Unnecessary health complications are one of the biggest consequences of miscommunication between healthcare providers. Doctors may prescribe treatment that does more harm than good without all the correct patient information, including diagnoses, medication history and allergens.

If this occurs, it can cause unnecessary complications like painful flare-ups or relapses, causing all the previous healing and treatment to come undone. This can be painful and frustrating for the patient and the primary doctor who treated them.

Correct patient information is crucial for improved patient satisfaction and trust in their healthcare provider. 

Avoid Duplicate Testing

The last benefit of using HIE is to avoid duplicate testing. If you seek treatment at a hospital or your local doctor's room, you know how frustrating it is to undergo the same tests again because the results aren't updated in your records. 

This can be time-consuming and costly, and depending on the tests, it can also be a painful or unpleasant experience. 

For example, if you're afraid of needles, going for another round of blood tests can be a very stressful experience. Other times, the tests require more preparation, which can be inconvenient for the patient. 

Diagnostic scopes require patients to stop eating solid foods for eight hours or to undergo a barium swallow. If you've ever had that chalky liquid, you know how uncomfortable the experience is, and doing it twice is not something patients look forward to.   

Examples of Information Sharing in Healthcare 

HIE is used when patients undergo transitions of care. For example, this could include having a caregiver take over your medication management, and they need all your medical information from your doctor for a successful handover. Another example is when you change doctors.

Sharing patient information between healthcare providers for treatment purposes can also be like collaboration. Sometimes, if a patient comes into the emergency room with multiple injuries, doctors from different specialties will treat them. However, to provide successful and efficient treatment, doctors must share the information. 

Patient referrals are also an example of information sharing in healthcare. When a doctor refers their patient to another doctor or specialist, they must share the patient's information with that doctor for a thorough consultation. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How is data shared in healthcare?

Patient data is typically shared through a Health Information Exchange (HIE), an electronic system of sharing information through applications and various software. 

How do you share information effectively?

People share information effectively by ensuring it’s correct and up-to-date, and only information relevant to treatment is provided.

Why is it important to follow HIPAA guidelines and protect patient information?  

HIPAA states that doctors can only share patient information without consent if it’s for treatment purposes. This protects the patient's privacy and safety so the wrong people don’t exploit personal information.