CORHIO was incorporated in March 2007 as a non-profit to serve the citizens of the state of Colorado.  Click the link to the right for the complete file of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's).

How does CORHIO relate to national efforts?
Why do we need an electronic health information network?
What is the technical model for this network?
Where are the resources coming from to build the network?
What will CORHIO do?
How would CORHIO and the information network be financially sustainable?
What is the timeline for establishing CORHIO?
How can individuals, providers, organizations and communities stay informed?

In 2004, a federal agenda began to implement a nationwide system of electronic health information exchange (National Health Information Network) using strategies to stimulate the private sector, encourage shared public and private investments, and leverage the leadership provided by both the public and private sectors.  With growing leadership from the Department of Human Services, the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Health Resources and Services Administration, HIT adoption and health information exchange has emerged as major health policy priorities related to improving health care quality, strengthening public health and containing growth in health care costs.

Across the country, there are many Regional Health Information Organizations (RHIO's) growing within communities.  Increasing attention is being paid to the critical role for a state level HIE initiative (SLHIE).  As the map indicates, governors and legislatures are taking a variety of steps to advance development of electronic health information networks in their states.  These include establishing statewide goals for HIT adoption, providing resources, leveraging the influence of Medicaid and state employee benefit plans to create incentives for HIT adoption, and facilitating local HIE development.  In addition, efforts are evolving to link HIT initiatives with those addressing quality and transparency.

Why do we need an electronic health information network?
Health care records currently exist largely on paper in multiple locations, meaning patients and their providers have incomplete information upon which to make important treatment decisions.  The lack of access to important health and health care information leads to unnecessary and costly duplication of services, medication errors and negative health effects, including deaths. Estimates are that these problems costs billions per year and may result in nearly 100,000 deaths annually.

Translating and sharing information electronically among systems means health care professionals can locate what they need when they need it. This ability to share information between different types of hardware and software systems will:

• Improve patient safety and decrease medical errors by giving patients and health care professionals quick access to a patient's medical history;
• Improve the efficiency of health care delivery by avoiding redundant or unnecessary actions or treatments;
• Improve personal health care quality, cost and access by using technology to promote the best evidence-based health care services; and
• Improve public health by better monitoring of potential health threats.

What is the technical model for this network?
The network Colorado is building will link different sources and types of data regardless of software and hardware platforms. No massive data repository will be built; rather data will reside at the source where it was generated and then be shared in a secure and confidential manner. This approach relies on common standards for data exchange and enables Colorado to participate in the nationwide health information technology architecture that national leaders are envisioning. 

• Implementing technology solutions to support electronic data collection, standard terms to blend records stored separately, and data sharing among many types of sources and users; and
• Identifying the appropriate business and legal aspects of data exchange, including legal and policy frameworks, procedures, financial aspects and privacy concerns related to maintaining a network and sharing data across the network. 

Where are the resources coming from to build the network?
Colorado has received support from federal and local grants and contracts to begin network development. In fall 2004, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) awarded contracts to a consortium of four institutions to develop a technical prototype for how to exchange patient health care data (demographic, laboratory, visit and diagnosis, and radiology information) among different types of hardware and software systems throughout the state.  Formerly called the Colorado Health Information Exchange project (COHIE), this work is a joint effort of four University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center-affiliated institutions (Denver Health, Kaiser Permanente of Colorado, The Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Hospital). The Foundation for eHealth Initiative provided additional resources for early COHIE and CORHIO development.  Funds from the Tobacco Tax Amendment 35 have supported work to develop a decision support system.  The Colorado Health Foundation supported an early planning grant to assist with developing a start up business plan for CORHIO.

More indirectly, Colorado and its communities have received multiple grants and contracts to support HIT adoption and several “best practice” studies regarding health exchange technology.   Several communities and many providers in various parts of the state are implementing electronic health record systems and developing local electronic health information networks with the support of federal grants and investments by providers and organizations.  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation contributed resources to support development of the interface between local and state public health, CORHIO and statewide electronic health information systems.

CORHIO is the recipient of a sub-contract from the University of Colorado at Denver, Health Sciences Center to operate the exchange on behalf of the community.

What does CORHIO do?
In Colorado, CORHIO leads development and will be responsible for ongoing operation of a statewide network for the exchange of electronic health information, including links between an array of providers, organizations and networks throughout the state and eventually a bridge to other states as well. CORHIO establishes policies and business rules, technology standards and provides governance for the exchange of clinical and other health data to support patient care, decision support, and quality improvement.   Future functions may include clinical messaging, population and public health measures/surveillance, and other administrative functions.   As a nonprofit entity, CORHIO will make sure that the interests of all Coloradans are represented and that services provided deliver value to health information network users. CORHIO will establish and oversee necessary privacy and security provisions to address the concerns of individual patients or consumers, solicit financing, ensure adequate participation and manage operations to sustain health information exchange.

How will CORHIO and the information network be financially sustainable?
Additional resources are necessary to establish and maintain CORHIO.  Once staffed, technical and resource development will continue with stakeholder input.  Efforts are under way to explore various business models for financing information exchange and network use on an ongoing basis.  Through several iterations of market analysis community members' priorities will define and drive subsequent lines of business services (e.g. point of care, clinical messaging, administrative data exchange, and population data exchange).  By addressing the specific needs of our users, CORHIO will begin to implement services and establish a sustainable business model.

What is the timeline for establishing CORHIO?
With current resources, the CORHIO point of care exchange to be tested and launched by June 2008.  This will enable emergency department clinicians to access patient information from other clinical data repositories at the point of care.   The first partners for exchange will be those in the initial AHRQ contract -- Denver Health, Kaiser Permanente of Colorado, The Children's Hospital and University of Colorado Hospital.   Additional partners will be added after this initial implementation period.

How can individuals, providers, organizations and communities stay informed?
Information about CORHIO will be updated and posted regularly on this web site. For additional information, contact Matt Madison at matthew.madison@uchsc.edu.