California Announces Designation of Nine Qualified Health Information Organizations to Support Secure Statewide Data Exchange Ahead of January 2024 Deadline

A Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO) facilitates the secure exchange of health and social services information, assisting entities as they create and respond to information requests, receive the results of tests or referrals, and solicit notifications of admissions or discharges.

The organizations receiving the QHIO designation are: Applied Research Works, Inc., Health Gorilla, Inc., Long Health, Inc., Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES), Manifest MedEx, Orange County Partners in Health-Health Information Exchange (OCPH-HIE), SacValley MedShare, San Diego Health Connect, Serving Communities Health Information Organization (SCHIO)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

California’s newly-designated QHIOs will play a critical role in promoting the secure exchange of health information under the Data Exchange Framework (DxF), empowering health and social services providers across California to provide the best possible care.

SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, the California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS) is announcing that nine entities met the application requirements and criteria to be designated by the Center for Data Insights and Innovations (CDII) as Qualified Health Information Organizations. QHIOs will play an integral role in the success of the DxF, filling gaps in California’s data exchange infrastructure by facilitating connections between DxF Participants through the secure exchange of health and social services information.

DxF Participants, such as, but not limited to, hospitals, medical groups, and skilled nursing facilities, may elect to utilize a QHIO as an intermediary, or may exchange through other means that comply with the DxF’s Data Sharing Agreement (DSA) and its accompanying Policies and Procedures (P&Ps).

“Qualified Health Information Organizations create an accessible path for countless health and social services entities to participate in the Data Exchange Framework, providing access to actionable data across California’s entire health and social services system,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of the California Health & Human Services Agency. “The added information healthcare providers will have at their disposal, the ease in which it can be securely shared, and the resulting informed and coordinated care that is possible, are fundamental improvements in how California’s healthcare system operates. We are on the brink of ushering in a new era of true continuity of care for all, a remarkable advancement made possible with the Data Exchange Framework and modern data exchange.”

The following organizations have been designated as QHIOs and are available to DxF Participants seeking assistance in meeting their DxF requirements:

  • Cozeva

  • Health Gorilla, Inc.

  • Long Health, Inc.

  • Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES)

  • Manifest MedEx

  • Orange County Partners in Health HIE

  • SacValley MedShare

  • San Diego Health Connect

  • Serving Communities HIO

ROLE OF QUALIFIED HEALTH INFORMATION ORGANIZATIONS (QHIOs): QHIOs fulfill the promise of a connected California by providing data exchange capabilities many health and social service entities currently do not possess, especially those serving historically marginalized populations and underserved communities. Connecting these entities and enabling their participation will broaden the reach of the DxF across the state, breaking down information silos which have long stood as barriers to effective, informed care. This milestone in interoperability will help ensure every Californian, regardless of where they seek care, can be assured their health and social services providers have access to a more complete picture of their health and are able to work together to provide the best possible care.

The designation of QHIOs marks a major step in the implementation of the DxF and provides Signatories with the opportunity for trustworthy and efficient DxF participation. Many health entities across California—including general acute care hospitals, physician organizations and medical groups, health care service plans and disability insurers including managed care plans, skilled nursing facilities, and clinical labs—are required to begin exchanging health data by January 31, 2024. CalHHS encourages all mandatory Signatories to join the shared commitment to a healthy California for All by signing the DSA and to be prepared for modern data exchange through use of a QHIO, other data exchange intermediary, or using their own data exchange platforms or technology solutions.

QHIOs join the larger landscape of intermediaries that make the DxF possible by facilitating the exchange of health and social services data. For many DxF Participants, onboarding with a QHIO may be the right technology solution to meet their DSA requirements. All Participants may choose to exchange data through a QHIO, nationwide framework, other intermediary, point-to-point connections, their own platforms or technology solutions, or a combination of these methods to comply with the DxF’s DSA and its P&Ps.

MORE INFORMATION: To learn more about how CDII is directly supporting new connections and improved care enabled by the adoption of QHIOs, read CDII’s press release on the $47M DSA Signatory Grants Program.

To learn more about the Data Exchange Framework, visit dxf.chhs.ca.gov.

For details and resources on how the Data Exchange Framework and QHIOs can help improve healthcare and social services for all Californians, visit CDII DxF Website to review materials, join a webinar, and sign up for updates. 

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