WHCC Contract

In October 2007, the WyHIO completed a survey for the Wyoming Healthcare Commission (WHCC) to provide information on existing healthcare information technology capability in Wyoming’s medical community, specific software in use, access to high speed internet connections in Wyoming, and the ability to exchange electronic healthcare information among providers in Wyoming.  The WyHIO contracted with the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center at the University of Wyoming to conduct the survey, which began in early 2007. The cooperation of key stakeholders in the healthcare community was essential to help the WyHIO and the WHCC gauge the readiness of the Wyoming healthcare community to engage in healthcare information exchange.   

View the report.

Additionally, the WHCC approved an amendment to the contract for a Healthcare Informatin Exchange (HIE) needs assessment survey focusing on the types of information providers consider to be the most valuable in an HIE, barriers and difficulties experienced in implementing an exchange and the specific reasons for not participating in an exchange. The data collected in this step provides the type of information and specific exchange projects that would be of most value to providers, assistance required to increase participation in HIE, and where the assistance is needed the most. 

The HIE needs assessment survey addressed both conceptual and operational/organizational issues. The conceptual issues included the following:

• Support for expansion of the telehealth/telemedicine network across Wyoming's healthcare provider base

• The need for an HIE network, the basis for the need, and potential network structure to provide value to stakeholders

• Goals for telehealth/telemedicine and HIE in Wyoming, and a comparison of those goals

• Reasons for participation in an HIE network

• Priority initiatives for the HIE network

The operational/organizational issues included the following:

• Obstacles/barriers to HIE participation

• Funding HIE infrastructure development and ongoing operations

• Role of state government

• Network governance

• Patient control of information

• Network architecture

• Effective communications

• Status of EHR implementation.

This project was completed in May 2009.   View the report.

Federal Communications Commission Grant Application

Wyoming was recently awarded an FCC grant to tie health care providers together is a dedicated communications network.  The WyHIO participated with 12 other organizations to apply for that grant.  Partners in this effort included

• The University of Wyoming – lead agency

• Memorial Hospital of Laramie County

• The Wyoming Hospital Association

• The Wyoming Department of Health

• The Wyoming Health Information Organization

• Qwest Communications

• The Wyoming Primary Care Association

• The Veterans Administration

• The Social Security Administration

• Peak Wellness Center

• The Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Centers

• The Community Center of Central Wyoming.

The pilot program will provide for the construction of state or regional broadband networks and services provided over those networks.  The networks will be designed to bring the benefits of innovative telehealth and telemedicine services to those areas where the need is most acute.  For additional information on the application, see http://www.health.uwyo.edu/fcc/

The WHCC is supporting the WyHIO is this effort with funding for project management activities in the design and implementation of the communications network.  Under this agreement, the WyHIO will ensure the network is expandable to meet the long term needs of the healthcare community, and help address security issues in the network.

To check progress on this project, see the Wyoming Health Information Resources website, Under the Statewide Telehealth/Telemedicine Network .

http://www.wyhir.org/Browse.aspx?S=4&F=45

Additionally, Wyoming has formed a Statewide Telehealth Steering Committee to guide network impelementation and growth.  That Committee has developed a DRAFT plan for network development, which emphasizes education and administrative services in the initial year of network implementation, and clinical services in subsequent years.  View the report.

Health Information Privacy and Security Project    

Wyoming was one of 34 states and territories awarded in 2006 a subcontract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality through RTI International, Inc. (RTI) to create a Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration (HISPC) group that would address privacy and security policy questions affecting the interoperable exchange of electronic health information among the numerous organizations that make up the health care community. A partnership between the WyHIO and the University of Wyoming Center for Rural Health Research and Education (CRHRE) was created to accomplish the goals of the HISPC.

Following completion of the project, Wyoming requested, and was awarded a follow-on grant to create an online privacy/security resource center for Wyoming. This center, named Wyoming's Health Information Resource (WYHIR), is now available, and provides resources to help coordinate research and education to address barriers to health information exchange identified over the course of the original study.  This site provides HIPAA and other security/privacy training, telehealth/telemedicine network information, electronic prescribing information, general information, and links to other educational opportunities.

To access the site, visit http://www.wyhir.org