Merge Healthcare, an IBM Company (NYSE:IBM), today announced an agreement with MedAllies that intends to advance the interoperability of medical image ordering and results delivery services for nearly 300,000 physicians whose secure communication capability is currently accessible by MedAllies.

MedAllies is a health information service provider (HISP) that enables connected healthcare organizations to exchange authenticated personal health information over the internet — regardless of the EHR used.  Its National Direct Network currently includes more than 4,500 healthcare organizations and more than 60,000 Direct network users.

MedAllies will leverage Merge’s vendor-neutral referral management platform, called iConnect® Network Services (iCNS), to simplify image ordering and results delivery for its connected users. The iCNS platform will enable those users to replace inefficient processes — that rely on paper, fax and costly multiple point-to-point connections — with a single innovative electronic solution to order medical imaging studies and receive results.

“The importance of this collaboration cannot be overstated,” said A. John Blair, III, MD, MedAllies chief executive officer. ”When it comes to improving healthcare, coordinating care and lowering costs, a missing critical component has been interoperability among imaging providers and referring physicians. By working with Merge, MedAllies will be advancing interoperability on a grand scale.”

The MedAllies National Direct Network connects to all Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) and Direct Trusted Agent Accreditation Program (DTAP) accredited HISPs, which currently provides access to more 760,000 Direct network users.

“Through iConnect Network Services, Merge Healthcare provides the infrastructure needed to drive a dramatic shift to automated image ordering and results delivery,” said Justin Dearborn, chief executive officer of Merge. “The collaboration between Merge and MedAllies aims to ensure that providers connected through the MedAllies network can simplify referral management and achieve significant efficiencies.”