Evolution of clinical Health Information Exchanges to population health resources: a case study of the Indiana network for patient care.

Abstract

Background: Motivated by the Triple Aim, US health care policy is expanding its focus from individual patient care to include population health management. Health Information Exchanges are positioned to play an important role in that expansion.

Objective: The objective is to describe the evolution of the Indiana Network for Patient Care (INPC) and discuss examples of its innovations that support both population health and clinical applications.

Methods: A descriptive analytical approach was used to gather information on the INPC. This included a literature review of recent systematic and scoping reviews, collection of research that used INPC data as a resource, and data abstracted by Regenstrief Data Services to understand the breadth of uses for the INPC as a data resource.

Results: Although INPC data are primarily gathered from and used in healthcare settings, their use for population health management and research has increased. By December 2023, the INPC contained nearly 25 million patients, a significant growth from 3.5 million in 2004. This growth was a result of the use of INPC data for population health surveillance, clinical applications for data, disease registries, Patient-Centered Data Homes, non-clinical population health advancements, and accountable care organization connections with Health Information Exchanges.

Conclusion: By structuring services on the fundamental building blocks, expanding the focus to population health, and ensuring value in the services provided to the stakeholders, Health Information Exchanges are uniquely positioned to support both population health and clinical applications.