FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2013
HITE-CT and Rhode Island Quality Institute announce partnership to promote interstate Direct communication between healthcare providers
Providence, RI and East Hartford, CT – The Health Information Technology Exchange of Connecticut (HITE-CT) and Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) announced their partnership to promote adoption of Direct email for secure communication among Connecticut healthcare providers and between Connecticut and Rhode Island providers. Providers will have access to Rhode Island’s Direct vendor marketplace, a source of pre-qualified vendors who provide Direct services. All vendors have been evaluated on technical adherence to Direct standards and the products and services they offer.
Connecticut providers will also be eligible to join the Southern New England Trust Community (formerly known as the Rhode Island Trust Community)—a network of verified providers who have a legitimate need to use Direct messaging to exchange patients’ protected health information (PHI). Membership in the Trust Community is free and it provides an easier way to manage your contacts and an extra layer of confidence. “RIQI is considered a thought leader in the area of health information exchange,” said John J. DeStefano, Chief Technology Officer at HITE-CT. “We are very excited to leverage their expertise to promote interstate Direct communication and offer a rich set of value-added services for those providers who are interested.”
“RIQI is committed to improving the healthcare system through collaborative innovation,” stated Gary Christensen, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer for RIQI. “We are thrilled to collaborate with HITE-CT in support of their efforts. This partnership is an excellent opportunity to foster future initiatives around interstate health information exchange.”
Connecticut providers interested in adopting Direct and joining the Trust Community and should contact jdestefano@hite-ct.org or go to http://hitect.org to learn more. Rhode Island providers looking for more information can contact RIQI at directprogram@riqi.org or go to http://DocEHRtalk.org/Direct.
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About HITE-CT
Health Information Technology Exchange of Connecticut (HITE-CT) is a nonprofit quasi-state agency that works closely with and among communities across Connecticut to develop and implement secure systems and processes for sharing health care information.
HITE-CT is dedicated to improving health care for all people in Connecticut through health information exchange. Their work is part of a national effort to improve the quality of patient care.
For more information, visit http://hitect.org.
About RIQI
Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) is a center of collaborative innovation that advances health and healthcare transformation. Our mission is to improve the quality, safety and value of healthcare and share knowledge that advances the field of healthcare improvement.
RIQI applies transformative measures to drive evolution of the healthcare system. We identify key initiatives by aligning leading-edge healthcare quality improvement strategies with needs and opportunities in our community. We maintain high-level partnerships with healthcare leaders, government and industry organizations and community-leading groups to build consensus around our strategic focus. In partnership with providers, we pioneer solutions with health information technology (HIT), quality improvement science and quality measurement/reporting.
RIQI is a 501c3 non-profit organization overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors. Board members are senior health industry leaders from our community, including CEOs of hospitals, health insurers and health-related businesses, along with leaders of consumer groups, academia and government agencies.
For more information, visit http://riqi.org.
