Who is Orion Health?
Orion Health is a global leader in Health Information Technology. Orion Health aims to transform health information technology by making high-value information technology solutions available to the healthcare community on an open source basis. Its open source offerings achieve more cost-effective and responsive HIT solutions. Orion Health was recognized as one of the top vendors in HIE Client Satisfaction according to the market research firm Black Book, one of the nation’s top measurements of independent technology and services in the healthcare industry.
Orion Health products and services are used by several well-known healthcare organizations including:
- St. Luke’s Health System – Boise
- Gritman Medical Center – Moscow
- Mayo Clinic
- HealthBridge
- Southern Piedmont Beacon Community
- Lone Star Circle of Care
- Crescent City Beacon Community
- Colorado Beacon Community (QHN)
- San Diego Beacon Community
- Redwood MedNet
- Inland Empire Health Information Exchange
- Orange County Partnership Regional Health Information Exchange.
What is the new Orion Health HIE solution?
Orion Health HIE Solution enables provider organizations and clinical communities to exchange medical information and share complete patient records. The Orion Health HIE Solution is one of the best HIE platforms and the most widely deployed in the world:
- Over 25 health information exchanges
- Linking over 700 facilities
- Used by 170,000 end users
Caring for a population of over 35 million lives.
What factors were important in making the decision to change to Orion Health?
- Feedback from our customers helped guide us through this decision-making process
- Better technology, greater system flexibility and a long-term vision for delivering high value HIE solutions
- Need for additional HIE functions and capabilities including notifications/alerts, CCD exchange, clinical messaging, DIRECT secure mail exchange with providers, etc.
- Support for healthcare facilities and providers to meet Meaningful Use objectives.
Will there be a IHDE cost to participants for the transition to Orion Health?
The IHDE will not be charging its clients for the transition to move to Orion Health.
What about current and historical data in the IHDE?
All existing data feeds with our connected sources will be re-directed and migrated to Orion Health. Existing data is planned to be migrated to the new Orion Health platform before the conclusion of the year.
What is the approach to transitioning the current inbound and outbound data feeds from hospitals, provider practices, laboratories and payers?
We plan to keep the existing connections in place with the current vendor and continue the data flowing until an ultimate cutover to the new system is ready. As we configure and implement the new Orion Health platform, the existing inbound data feeds will be routed not only to existing platform but also to Orion Health. The environment with Orion Health will be built and run in parallel to the existing system. Re-direction, testing and validation of the data feeds into Orion Health will be performed by IHDE Integration staff with the desire to minimize the need for data source staff efforts. However, IHDE Staff will need to work closely with our clients during the testing and validation phases. As we obtain more detail about this transition with Orion, we will be communicating more details.
Will all the current information and services of the clinical portal exist with Orion Health?
Yes, and then some. We plan to keep the existing connections in place until the designated cut over date. As we configure and build the Orion platform, the existing data feeds will be routed to the new Orion Health platform. We will be running the two systems in parallel as we perform the validation, testing and staging processes. Similar to the existing VHR, Orion Health has a clinical portal for access and viewing of consolidated patient records. There will be additional functionality with the Orion clinical portal including a personalized configuration specific for each participant, provider messaging, etc.
Will the IHDE be “down” when this change occurs?
No, the plan is to run both systems in parallel until the cut over to the new system.
We are developing a detailed communication and training plan for all participants. IHDE staff will be arranging information and planning sessions with each participant to discuss the change and to plan its implementation. We will also post information and updates to our website and distribute via email.
What other additional functionality and features will be available with Orion Health?
While the initial focus with the transition to Orion Health will be to ensure that all current functionality is in place when launched, there will be some new features and functions that will be part of the overall Orion Health solution. Some of this functionality will be available immediately; some will be rolled-out after the launch (see March 2014 announcement letter). We will keep you informed of these updates.
