FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 12, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Mansfield, 518-339-7769, mmansfield@skdknick.com
STATEWIDE NETWORK FOR CLINICAL DATA SHARING REDUCES HEALTHCARE COSTS BY AN ESTIMATED $160-195 MILLION ANNUALLY
New analysis estimates potential savings of $1 billion once the Statewide Health Information Network for New York is fully leveraged
ALBANY, NY – Today the New York Health Collaborative (NYeC) announced that use of the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY) is reducing unnecessary healthcare spending in New York State by $160-$195 million annually—including significant savings to Medicaid and Medicare.
If even just current participants used the system’s full capabilities, nearly $1 billion could be saved each year in costs associated with duplicate testing, avoidable hospitalizations and readmissions, and preventable emergency department visits.
These estimates come from recent analysis by NYeC based on current size and use of the network, using methodology developed by the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for purposes of measuring cost savings associated with recent related federal proposals.
“Numerous studies have already shown the improvement in health care and reduction in unnecessary healthcare spending that can result from the wide and meaningful use of health information exchange,” said Valerie Grey, Executive Director of NYeC. “This statewide estimate for New York gives us a sense of the magnitude of the current impact and what tomorrow could bring as the SHIN-NY continues to grow and evolve.”
The SHIN-NY is a statewide network that facilitates secure and confidential electronic sharing of patient data across the healthcare system to improve outcomes. It is comprised of and connects regional networks, or Qualified Entities, that allow participating healthcare professionals, with patient consent, to quickly access and share comprehensive patient health information and medical records. Statewide, 100 percent of hospitals and over 100,000 healthcare professionals are connected to the SHIN-NY, which facilitates the exchange of health information (HIE) for patients across the state regardless of health system or network within which providers are based. As the network continues to expand, efforts to further support value-based care and expand the number of long-term care, behavioral health, and community-based organizations connections are underway.
“HIE is a fundamental tool that I, as a provider, have directly observed positively impact patient care and outcomes,” said Mitchell A. Adler, MD, Chief Medical Informatics Officer at Northwell Health Physician Partners and Chair of NYeC’s Provider Advisory Group. “Real time access to patient information when I need it is vital to my clinical decision-making and presents clear value to the healthcare system.”
Recognizing the potential value to all New Yorkers, New York State has been a leader, investing in public health information exchange through the SHIN-NY enterprise for more than a decade. The SHIN-NY supports the healthcare industry’s continued shift from fee-for-service to value-based care arrangements and is integral to the success of state and federal initiatives in support of improved outcomes, reduced costs, and better patient experience. While the use of health information exchange has long been associated with improved care coordination, quality of care, and patient safety, NYeC’s analysis demonstrates the network’s contribution toward reducing costs.
“As a physician, health plan CEO, ardent supporter of HIE and the SHIN-NY, and on behalf of NYeC, I want thank the leadership of New York state for its continued investment in the SHIN-NY,” said John Bennett, MD, CEO of Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan, Inc. and Chair of NYeC’s Board of Directors. “The value this enterprise provides to payers, providers, and patients is tremendous, and continues to result in more efficient care and better health outcomes.”
View NYeC’s white paper on this analysis here.
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About the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC)
NYeC is a nonprofit organization working in partnership with the New York State Department of Health to improve healthcare by collaboratively leading, connecting, and integrating health information exchange across the state.