Question

Identify the three forms of health information exchange and explain how each type works. Describe scenarios where each form of HIE would be utilized to improve quality of care. What are the benefits of HIE in your examples?

Answer 1

Following are the  three forms of health information exchange :

1. Directed exchange - This includes sending and receiving confidential information related to patients and healthcare between different health providers.
   This form of HIE is executed when the patients are transferring from one hospital to another. The doctor/s of the receiving hospital can request for medical health history and diagnosis provided to the patient from the previous hospital. In this process, the receiving hospital's doctors can provide a better and faster diagnosis to the patient and medical administration is facilitated.
   
2. Query-based exchange - This includes ability to allow the health providers to search and request for information related to the respective patient from various other health providers.
   The hospital can investigate regarding the patient, his/her medical condition, background and history to gain deeper understanding of the situation. This helps the health provider to perfect it's medical administration while improving the quality of health care service rendered. Also, ensures that there is no criminal or illegal matter involved, which would call-in for contacting the police for investigation purposes.
   
3. Consumer Mediated Exchange - This includes the control of medical information with the patient him/herself, i.e. the patient holds all the personal health information.
   In this form of HIE, the doctors or health providers are allowed to question the patient and his/her relatives for medical related information. This process enables the health provider to gain in-depth knowledge about the medical case and take decisive steps in order to facilitate proper diagnosis.