By Healthcare Facilities Today

Michigan Health Connect in Grand Rapids and Great Lakes Health Information Exchange in East Lansing, recently signed an agreement to share electronic patient medical record information in a secure exchange.

The agreement between the two HIEs, the largest of six  in Michigan, connects more than 3,000 physician offices and 96 hospitals, reports Crain's Detroit Business.

"It means that most of the clinical information exchanged electronically throughout Michigan will be handled by this new, expanded network. Such coordination is vital to improving healthcare in this state and beyond," Doug Dietzman, executive director of Michigan Health Connect, was quoted in the Crains article.

The state's nine original sub-state health information exchanges have shrunk to six, but the goal remains for them to eventually be interconnected with health insurance companies through the Michigan Health Information Network, according to the article.

A study from the Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT found increasing use of electronic data exchange among physicians, but found room for improvement.

"While most physicians possess the capability to meet certain HIE-related meaningful use requirements such as e-prescribing, physicians are less prepared to meet other upcoming stage 2 core HIE requirements such as clinical care summary exchange. It will be important to monitor these key measures of exchange capability," the study said.

Read the article.