Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a Health Information Exchange (HIE)?
   

   A HIE is the gathering together of healthcare information electronically within a region, community, or hospital. This allows healthcare facilities to more easily share patient information as it is needed. A HIE will give access to clinical data in a safe, more efficient, and timely manner. A HIE allows the physician to sign in and retrieve the necessary health information in order to treat the patient better.

   The HIE in your area is called Central Illinois Health Information Exchange (CIHIE). Through a software product called allcharts™, CIHIE connects healthcare organizations in 20 counties. Eventually, this regional HIE will connect to other HIE’s to allow for statewide and national exchange. The funding for the CIHIE comes from subscribers to the HIE service.

2. How does a HIE work?
   

   HIE software works in a similar way as airline travel sites such as Expedia or Travelocity. A vacationer enters a destination and date and the travel site immediately pulls all the available flight information from different airlines. Likewise, a physician enters a patient's name and the HIE record locator immediately pulls the individual's health information from different health organizations and makes it easy to view on a computer screen in a matter of seconds.



3. What health information will be shared?
   

   The following information could be shared through the HIE, depending on what electronic information participating organizations are able to send to allcharts™, including but not limited to:

   • Demographics
   • Lab Orders and Results
   • Allergies
   • Medication Lists
   • Transcribed Reports
   • Medical History