The Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) program office announced that the Departments of Defense (DoD), Veterans Affairs (VA), and Homeland Security’s U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) component have expanded their joint health information exchange (HIE) network after connecting with CommonWell Health Alliance.
“As a clinician who is using the joint HIE, the more patient information I have access to, the more I can understand the full picture of my patient’s care and better meet their needs,” said Dr. Neil Evans, clinical leader with FEHRM. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, efficient electronic health information sharing is more important than ever.”
The joint HIE can give providers access to information on patients’ healthcare records, and the integration with CommonWell’s network of providers is part of the overarching effort for DoD, VA, and USCG to “modernize and deploy a single, common Federal HER,” FEHRM said.
“The CommonWell connection means DOD, VA and USCG providers can access more information about their patients to make the best care decisions,” FEHRM Director William Tinston said. “The FEHRM drives federal capabilities, such as the expanded joint HIE to improve health care delivery, regardless of where patients get care.”
