News

PdN HIE achieves highest level of data security accreditation

June 30, 2016

The Paso del Norte Health Information Exchange, PDN HIE, announced today it has achieved full accreditation with the Texas Health Information Exchange Accreditation Program (TX-HIEAP) from the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) and the Texas Health Services Authority (THSA). Texas HIE Accreditation ensures HIEs within Texas are inter-operable with state and federal programs, and provide the private, secure and proper exchange of health information in accordance with established laws and public policy.

“Protecting the privacy and security of patient data is a top priority of the PDN HIE,” said PDN HIE executive director Jon Law, “We will continue to have third party analyses of our policies and systems to ensure that this priority is fulfilled.”

Through the consultative review process, EHNAC and THSA evaluated PDN HIE in areas of privacy, security and confidentiality; technical performance; business practices and organizational resources as it relates to HIE participants in Texas. In addition, EHNAC and THSA reviewed the organization’s process of managing and transferring protected health information and determined that the organization meets or exceeds the necessary program criteria and industry standards. Through completion of the rigorous accreditation process, the organization demonstrates its adherence to strict standards and participation in the comprehensive, objective evaluation of its business.

“The Texas HIE Accreditation Program ensures that organizations like PDN HIE meet the specific needs and legal requirements of the state, in addition to the EHNAC national HIE program,” says Lee Barrett, executive director of EHNAC. “By achieving accreditation, PDN HIE has proven its commitment to the highest standards in privacy, security, confidentiality and sustainability in health information exchange, and we commend them on such a considerable accomplishment.”

“Increasing confidence and trust in organizations involved in exchanging and maintaining electronic health information will not only foster greater participation in HIEs, but also support sustainability of HIE efforts in Texas and across the United States. I congratulate PDN HIE for being in the forefront on this important component of serving patients and healthcare providers,” stated George Gooch, interim CEO of the Texas Health Services Authority.

About the PDN HIE
PDN HIE is a collaboration of major healthcare partners in the greater El Paso area. The purpose of the HIE is to share clinical data between healthcare providers to improve health and medicine.

Major partners include: City of El Paso Department of Public Health, El Paso County Medical Society, El Paso First Health Plans, Las Palmas/Del Sol Healthcare, Paso del Norte Health Foundation, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, The Hospitals of Providence, and University Medical Center of El Paso.

About THSA
The Texas Health Services Authority is responsible for coordinating the implementation of health information exchange (HIE) in Texas. The THSA was created by the Texas legislature in 2007 as a public-private partnership, legally structured as a non-profit corporation, to support the improvement of the Texas health care system by promoting and coordinating HIE and health information technology (HIT) throughout the state to ensure that the right information is available to the right health care providers at the right times. For more information, visit www.HIETexas.org.

About EHNAC
The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) is a voluntary, self-governing standards development organization (SDO) established to develop standard criteria and accredit organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data. These entities include electronic health networks, payers, financial services firms, health information exchanges, medical billers, outsourced services, e-prescribing solution providers and direct trusted agents.

EHNAC was founded in 1993 and is a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. Guided by peer evaluation, the EHNAC accreditation process promotes quality service, innovation, cooperation and open competition in healthcare. To learn more, visit www.ehnac.org.

For more on the PDN HIE, contact Jon Law, Executive Director at 915-242-0674.