UC-Davis Health System To Lead Statewide Data-Sharing Program
The UC-Davis Health System recently signed a $17.5 million agreement with state and federal officials to lead an initiative to electronically link California hospitals, emergency departments and physicians by 2014, the Sacramento Business Journal reports (Robertson, Sacramento Business Journal, 9/25).
Details of Initiative
The initiative -- called the California Health eQuality program -- seeks to boost health care quality and coordination by improving data sharing among health care providers.
Kenneth Kizer -- director of the Institute for Population Health Improvement -- will lead the initiative (UC-Davis Health System release, 9/25).
The project received a four-year, $38.8 million grant in 2010 through the federal economic stimulus package. Officials plan to identify other funding sources to maintain and expand the program after 2014.
On Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, state health officials and CHeQ officials plan to hold a stakeholder summit on health data exchange in Sacramento (Sacramento Business Journal, 9/25).
Comments
In a release, Kizer said, "We want care-related information to flow safely and quickly between and among health care providers. No more printing, scanning and faxing laboratory and X-ray results." He added, "Through CHeQ, we are committed to advancing use of secure electronic exchanges of information so that care for the patient is better, and the job of providing high-quality care is easier for the caregiver."
Pamela Lane -- deputy secretary for health information exchange at the California Health and Human Services Agency -- said, "CHeQ's work will help California accelerate progress toward making critical patient information available when and where it is needed for care" (UC-Davis Health System release, 9/25). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.