A RHIO (regional health information organization) is a group of organizations with a business stake in improving the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare delivery. The purpose of a RHIO is to electronically exchange health information in a secure format so that the receiver can use the information. The terms “RHIO” and “Health Information Exchange” or “HIE” are often used interchangeably. RHIOs are the building blocks of the proposed National Health Information Network (NHIN) initiative proposed by David Brailer, MD, and his team at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT). To build a national network of interoperable health records, the effort must first develop at the local and state levels. RHIOs are forming at a very rapid pace and currently number over a hundred. The concept of NHIN requires extensive collaboration by a diverse set of stake holders. The challenges are less technical than business and legal.
To begin supporting the development of RHIOs and HIEs, HIMSS has launched the RHIO Federation to focus on three key areas of collaboration: chain of trust, business rules and harmonization.
Learn more about the HIMSS RHIO Federation.
Let the HIT Dashboard Do the Tracking for Interoperability Initiatives with Expanded Information Categories
CHICAGO (September 7, 2006) – The HIT Dashboard has added new tracking components to make it easier to find information by state on health information technology (IT) initiatives and legislation, HIMSS chapters and Davies award winners