Description :
Healthy Ocala is deploying integrated Internet-based technology that enables electronic exchange of health information in support of patients, physicians, other healthcare providers and facilities, and the community, as a whole. This effort is being undertaken with the prospect of a healthier citizenry and reduced cost of healthcare to the community.
Targeted Market Segments
The value of a health information exchange system grows exponentially with the number of patients and providers using it. The sustainability of a health information exchange system also grows with the number of types of users that benefit from and financially support it. For these reasons, Healthy Ocala’s target market segments include patients, along with their employers and sponsors, and all segments of the health care system in Ocala Greater Marion County.
Services for Patients and Their Employers/Sponsors
Healthy Ocala’s Personal Health Management System empowers patients by electronically assembling and organizing all available and appropriate medical information about each from all participating healthcare sources from the Healthy Ocala Medical Exchange. Since some patients do not use computers or the Internet, Healthy Ocala offers a lower cost solution that still permits their Electronic Health Records to be accessed by their providers. These patients will still be able to obtain hard copies of their records maintained by the Exchange for a modest fee.
Services for Disadvantaged Patients
Marion County, Florida has a large population of uninsured, non-elderly residents (20.3%); residents below 125% of the Federal Poverty Level (18.7%); and below 200%, but greater than 125% of the Federal Poverty Level (11.1%) who are not eligible for Medicaid. These residents underutilize routine primary and preventive health care, relying on a variety of providers for emergent conditions – frequently the result of late-stage, untreated chronic conditions. As a result they receive uncoordinated and frequently unnecessary duplication of health care services. Healthy Ocala offers no cost solution to the community organizations that enroll these residents, so their providers can access their Electronic Health Records. In addition part of any Healthy Ocala excess revenues will be used to increase their access to primary and preventive health care.
Services for Health Care Providers
Healthy Ocala is establishing and maintaining the Healthy Ocala Medical Exchange – an electronic communication and data sharing system within the healthcare community. It is through this electronic system that hospital and physician records, as well as, laboratory and x-ray reports, can be deposited in a patient’s community medical record for future access by any other providers the patient sees for medical care. This Medical Exchange will provide medical records that are more complete, more secure and more available to the patient and medical providers when they are truly needed.
Services for Physicians
Because the vast majority of Greater Ocala physicians’ practices are not maintaining their patients’ clinical records electronically, Healthy Ocala’s technology is being supplemented with a suite of affordable, physician-friendly Digital Patient Management Services. The Marion County Medical Society is providing these services. These services will: increase physicians’ efficiency, facilitate improved quality of care and generate electronic health records that are compatible with the Healthy Ocala Medical Exchange. Revenue sources are established, where possible, to help defray the cost of physician adoption of these services.
Services for Health Care Payers
Both government and private third-party payers of health care are looking to receive and will pay for richer data on health care to identify ways of improving health outcomes at lower cost. Healthy Ocala serves as a neutral intermediary to ensure patients and providers that the data provided will not be used against them. Data will only be shared with payers with the explicit permission of the patients and providers.
Strategy
Healthy Ocala is committed to the highest standards of privacy and security protection of consumers’ Protected Health Information (PHI) and personal identity information. It does not acquire or maintain Social Security Numbers, credit card numbers or health insurance account numbers that create Identity Theft vulnerabilities. Healthy Ocala leverages the technology, personnel, resources and infrastructure, including implementation of HIPAA privacy and security legislation, its 3rd party contractors and the health care providers it serves. To be successful, those who share in its benefits must share the cost of implementing the technology. Furthermore, the patients must be satisfied that the technology is secure and their privacy will be protected when their health information is shared amongst their providers. |
