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What is Clinical Interoperability?

Clinical interoperability is transformational, allowing physicians to seamlessly send and share health information with other health care providers regardless of electronic technology platforms being used.  The advance of clinical interoperability plays a central role in a number of important national health care initiatives: improving continuity of care; supporting the "meaningful use" of electronic health records; and advancing the patient-centered medical home model of care.

How is Surescripts enhancing clinical messaging?

The Surescripts Network for Clinical Interoperability allows a patient's clinical information to be exchanged securely and electronically - physician to physician - on a national basis.

Our network enables operators of regional and proprietary networks - including Electronic Medical Record (EMR) providers, Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs) - to connect to Surescripts' national network.

Individual physicians that are not already affiliated with a network provided by an EMR, IDN or HIE can connect directly to the Surescripts network for the purpose of clinical message exchange through use of a secure Web portal.

Why is there a need to enable clinical interoperability?

Physicians - to date - have been limited in their ability to electronically exchange clinical messages with each other.  Such exchange has typically been conducted within regional networks operated by IDNs and HIEs and networks operated by EMR providers. Outside of this context, clinical message exchange - when conducted - is done using fax, phone and paper, often far after a patient encounter is complete. With the introduction of Meaningful Use requirements, the need to solve this communication gap on a national basis has intensified.

What is Surescripts’ approach to Clinical Interoperability?

Both the health care industry and federal government have recognized a critical need for a national health information network to facilitate secure electronic communication between health care providers (including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants). The lack of such a network has limited the potential for providers to electronically exchange clinical information to improve the quality of patient care.

In response to this need, Surescripts has expanded the scope of its national health information network to establish a common platform that allows health care providers, pharmacists, PBMs, EHRs, HIEs, and IDNs to electronically exchange clinical messages across a national network.  Surescripts' best-in-class service offerings allow operators of regional networks to openly connect their users to Surescripts' national network and exchange clinical information with other providers across the country. To help enable the secure electronic exchange of clinical messages, Surescripts provides tools to electronic health record systems and all network participants to access these services.

These offerings allow EHRs, HIEs and IDNs to connect their customers to the network in a way that complements their own products and services. Providers not yet affiliated with a clinical messaging network can connect to the network directly by using a secure Web portal offered by Surescripts.

Surescripts' service expansion  reflects our core principles of trust, neutrality, collaboration and quality.  This expansion also supports all federal and state health information standards, including those dealing with privacy and security, Meaningful Use, transport methods including National Health Information Network Exchange and Direct Project, and data formats such as HL7, CCR, CCD and other recognized standards.

Ultimately, the expansion of Surescripts' national health information network will further contribute to reducing the cost, and improving the quality, safety and efficiency, of health care across the country. It will also provide deeper support for a physician's achievement of "meaningful use."

How can my organization or practice connect to the Surescripts Network for Clinical Interoperability?

EHR vendors who are already connected to the Surescripts network for e-prescribing should speak with their Alliances representative to learn more about connecting for Clinical Interoperability. Alternatively, and for EHR vendors, IDNs and HIEs not yet certified to connect to the network in any capacity, you may contact us online.

There are multiple, flexible ways in which healthcare providers can connect to the Surescripts Network for Clinical Interoperability:

• Through a connected EHR technology vendor network/IDN or HIE with our Net2Net Connect, Message Stream secure clinical message services or through a web enabled, browser based  clinical message portal.  All provide ease of implementation and are designed to work across a range of technology sophistication, so physicians and practices can realize the benefits of improved care coordination and health information quickly.
  
  
• AAFP has already made our Clinical Message Portal available to its membership base. Delivered under the name AAFP Physicians Direct Clinical Message Portal, this secure electronic health information messaging service allows physicians to send unlimited messages and data files to colleagues anywhere across the nation.  Physicians can use AAFP Physicians Direct without implementing any additional technology in your practice.  To send messages through the AAFP Physicians Direct Clinical Message Portal you simply need to set up an account, which is created with a simple registration and subscription process.
  
  
• Electronic Health Record communication flow expanding. A number of the nation's leading EHR technology vendors are also signing up to connect their EHR systems to the Surescripts Clinical Interoperability Network, enabling robust sharing of information locally and nationwide among a rich directory of users.
  
  
• Surescripts is also Supporting HIEs with DIRECT compatible solutions.

What are the benefits of connecting to the Surescripts network?

For physicians and health care providers: Surescripts' clinical interoperability solutions allow physicians and health care providers to break down barriers of software, affiliations, or geography to electronically exchange clinical information with other physicians locally or nationwide, in a secure manner, using intuitive, easy-to-use tools. Connecting to the Surescripts network supports improvement in health care quality, cost reduction and the achievement of "meaningful use."

For EMRs/HIEs/IDNs: Surescripts' suite of clinical interoperability solutions provides an on-ramp for EMR providers, HIEs and IDNs that wish to connect their network users to Surescripts' nationwide health information network in a way that is complementary to their own operations. By doing so, they will allow their affiliated physician/providers to see their messaging capability transform from local to national, in a manner that integrates well with their existing solutions.

Ultimately, the expansion of Surescripts national health information network will further contribute to reducing the cost, and improving the quality, safety and efficiency of health care across the country, as well as providing deeper support for a physician's achievement of 'meaningful use'.

How does the Surescripts Network for Clinical Interoperability benefit pharmacies and PBMs?

By expanding Surescripts' focus to enable the sharing of all types of clinical information, the nation's retail pharmacies and PBMs aim to realize further gains efficiencies while improving outcomes and reducing the cost of health care for all. Surescripts' role as the nation's network for clinical interoperability supports and enhances pharmacists' ability to connect with physicians, patients and their information for more coordinated care.

What clinical interoperability services does Surescripts offer?

1. The Surescripts Clinical Message Portal: This service allows any physician to register and electronically exchange clinical information with other physicians nationwide through a secure web based portal.
   
   
2. Surescripts Net2Net Connect: This service gives regional and proprietary clinical messaging networks the opportunity to connect their users to Surescripts' secure health information network in a way that promotes flexibility, and is compatible with their own clinical messaging solutions.
   
   
3. Surescripts Message Stream: This product will allow EMR vendors to incorporate the capability within their products to allow their physician users to upload, transmit, receive and download clinical information with/from other physicians using a connection to Surescripts' national health information network.

How were these services developed?

All Surescripts' services were developed to reflect our core principles of trust, neutrality, collaboration and quality. Our networking services can support meaningful use and connectivity standards, such as NHIN Connect and NHIND Direct, messaging standards like HL7, and document standards like CCR and CCD, and other recognized standards including all applicable standards and policies for security and privacy.

Why is Surescripts taking the lead to establish this expanded clinical interoperability capability?

Both the health care industry and federal government have long recognized a critical need for a national health information network to facilitate secure electronic communication between physicians. 

With its nationwide health information network, Surescripts has the infrastructure, relationships and experience in place to expand its network operations to accommodate the nationwide exchange of clinical information between physicians.

Why is Surescripts uniquely positioned to deliver this service?

Surescripts has the best and most recognized experience in developing networks that facilitate the secure exchange of health care information - best evidenced by our position as the Nation's E-Prescription Network.  This neutral, open network has supported the growth of e-prescribing to its status as the most common electronic clinical message in the U.S. with over 3 million transactions per day and growing.

The trust afforded by the core Surescripts principles of neutrality, collaboration and quality supports a strong fit and credibility for the expansion of our network services to accommodate the nation's first open interoperable health care network for the secure exchange of clinical information between physicians.

What sort of clinical messages can be carried through Surescripts’ network?

In addition to electronic prescription information - the most common electronic clinical message in the U.S. - the Surescripts Network for Clinical Interoperability allows doctors to share an array of clinical messages - discharge and visit summaries, patient charts, referrals, lab orders and results - and other types of clinical messages required to manage care of patients.

What do you mean when you say that your clinical messaging network is an ‘open’ network?

As with our e-prescription network, Surescripts will maintain an open and neutral network for the purpose of enabling the exchange of clinical messaging between physicians.  Our open network principles allow any clinical messaging application to connect to the network as long as it meets our certification guidelines.

How can I request more information?

EHR vendors who are already connected to the Surescripts network for e-prescribing should speak with their Alliances representative to learn more about connecting for Clinical Interoperability. Alternatively, and for EHR vendors, IDNs and HIEs not yet certified to connect to the network in any capacity, you may contact us online.

Individual physicians using EHR technology should check with your software vendor to determine their plans for certifying to connect to the Surescripts Network for Clinical Interoperability. Alternatively, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has already made our Clinical Message Portal available to its membership base. You may contact us online to request additional information.