UHIN

Tag: EDI

Newsletter: October 2024 Issue

by UHIN
UHIN October 2024 Newsletter

OCTOBER 2024

Active October and More to Come

Happy Halloween! This month, we moved to the new CHIE portal, hosted portal webinars and Q&As (one more coming up!), hosted a virtual payer panel with panelists from Select Health and Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC, attended the CIVITAS Annual Conference, and posted about the ideal clearinghouse solution for large healthcare providers on our blog. 

Join our 1,000+ followers on LinkedIn!

Spotlight

The New CHIE Portal is Live!

We moved to our new CHIE portal experience on Wednesday, October 30. The new portal offers a more modern user experience, including a new Patient Summary page and cards for allergies, encounters, immunizations, and more. Users will also be able to download a CCD and look back to specific periods of time, among other features. 

Learn More

HIT News

Doctor looking at laptop

CHIE Portal Discovery

Interested in learning more about the new CHIE portal experience? We’ve created several methods to set you up for success. You can explore its features and functionality in the following ways:

1. Watch the portal video on YouTube 🎥
Check out our engaging video that walks you through the portal’s layout and highlights some of the powerful new tools available. Perfect for when you need a high-level overview!

2. Review the portal user guide 📖
For those who prefer to dive deeper, our comprehensive user guide breaks down every feature step-by-step. Think of it as your go-to resource for answers to your questions.

3. Attend Our Webinars 📅
We’re hosting a live webinar next week, where we’ll answer your questions in real time. Join us on Monday for an interactive session – and come with questions!

CHIE Webinar: New Portal Questions and Answers
Monday, November 4, 2024 | 12 p.m. MT
Click to register

From the UHIN Blog

Person clicking on virtual check marks

The Ideal Clearinghouse Solution for Large Providers

A robust claim management solution covers all of your needs: consolidates all payer connections into a single, reliable network, reduces administrative costs and labor, improves cash flow, delivers real-time eligibility, and supports EDI enrollment. Read this month’s blog post about the benefits the UHIN Clearinghouse delivers for large healthcare providers. 

Visit the Blog

Events

This Monday and Coming Up

​We attended the Civitas Annual Conference in Detroit, MI from October 15-17. 

November 4-6: Texas Covered Health Care Conference + Expo Event in Austin, TX.

We will be closed Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29 for Thanksgiving.

Trainings and Webinars

Virtual Payer Panel

On Tuesday, October 29, we hosted a virtual payer panel with Melissa Shoemaker (Sr Network Engagement Representative Provider Development, Select Health) and Lori Weber (Education Representative II-Part B Provider Education, Noridian Healthcare Solutions, LLC). Our panelists answered questions and shared updates ranging from enrollment to coding, and from prior authorization to EDI recertification. 

Watch the recording on our YouTube channel and look out for future payer panels coming soon!

Watch

Wrapping Up

Fall Vaccine Guide

Comagine Health, our affiliate partner, recently shared a link to this informative guide (by Katelyn Jetelina) on vaccines for all three fall respiratory viruses: flu, RSV, and Covid-19. Take a look and be in the know!

The Guide

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Simplify EDI Management: The Ideal Clearinghouse Solution for Large Providers

by UHIN

Author:

UHIN

Managing Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) processes can be complex for large healthcare providers: Maintaining reliable connections, ensuring seamless claim submissions, accurately tracking remittances, verifying eligibility, and handling EDI transactions across multiple payers. These are burdensome without the right clearinghouse partner. That’s where our comprehensive clearinghouse solution and support team steps in.

Why Large Providers Need a Reliable Clearinghouse

Large healthcare providers deal with high volumes of claims and remittances, making efficient EDI management essential. Medical administrative transaction volume increased by 11% to 55 Billion transactions in 2022 (per CAQH). Handling mountains of transactions makes the need for automation that much more apparent. 

A robust claim management solution consolidates all payer connections into a single, reliable network, reduces administrative costs and labor, improves cash flow, delivers real-time eligibility, and supports EDI enrollment. 

1. Access to an Extensive Payer Network

We pride ourselves on having one of the most comprehensive payer networks available. Without reliable payer coverage, even a minor disruption can lead to significant revenue cycle issues. That’s why verifying your connections upfront is vital. 

Setting up payer connections and managing your claim volume across the network can be overwhelming and complicated. Using a clearinghouse, like UHIN, lifts the burden by handling the vast, dynamic relationships with payers and trading partners for you. Our clearinghouse connects with thousands of payers nationwide, ensuring that you have the necessary reach to keep your operations running smoothly. You can further simplify your connections with payers by integrating the UHIN Clearinghouse into your current Electronic Health Record (EHR) or Practice Management system (PM), making communications and claim management that much easier in your preferred workflow.

We encourage you to check out our payer list to verify if we have the connections you require. With our national EDI network, you can be confident that your claims will reach their destination without a hitch, reducing delays and improving your cash flow.

2. Real Cost Savings

Switching to our clearinghouse solution could lead to substantial savings for your organization. We offer usage-based pricing that ensures you only pay for what you use, with no long-term contracts or hidden fees that are common with others. We earn your business every day. 

Because we’re a non-profit, we provide competitive rates and exemplary support. We’re a mission-driven company focused on the improvement of care and costs. Private and public companies that operate clearinghouses tend to focus on their own costs and revenue first, then their customers. We invite you to explore our pricing options and see how much you could save by making the switch today. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your EDI management, maximize payments, and reduce costs at the same time.

$1 Billion in Cost Savings Opportunity Annually for the Medical & Dental Industries Combined
by transitioning to fully electronic administrative transactions

– CAQH (2023 CAQH Index Report)

3. Improved Cash Flow

Working with a clearinghouse that focuses on connectivity and modern EDI practices improves cash flow by streamlining critical processes, such as eligibility checks and claim submissions. Maintaining connections with payers enables consistent reimbursement and offloads risk if other networks are compromised. 

In addition, automating claim management systems reduces errors, accelerates claim approvals, and minimizes claim denials. This supports consistent payments and allows caregivers to focus on delivering quality patient care, contributing to sustained financial health.

4. Dedicated EDI Enrollment Support

In order to submit claims electronically to payers, providers must first complete EDI enrollment. Getting started with a new clearinghouse can be daunting, but our team of EDI enrollment specialists (all based in the U.S.) are here to help. They are ready and waiting to assist providers with enrollment, ensuring a smooth transition. 

EDI enrollment is vital to your success as claim management moves further into the fully electronic era. Enrollment enhances efficient communication with payers, enabling providers to submit claims and get paid faster. Our specialists provide personalized support to establish your connections quickly, so you can start experiencing the benefits of our services right away. With our team by your side, you’ll have the support you need to easily make the change.

5. Verifying Patient Eligibility

Electronic patient eligibility verification improves patient payment by allowing providers to check insurance eligibility easily before treatment. This results in reduced manual work for staff, less mistakes, and fewer denied claims. Providers can collect more co-pays or coinsurance upfront using electronic patient eligibility verification. Leveraging a software solution also ensures that the data being transmitted is accurate, and can be processed quickly and in real-time in many cases.

Real-time patient eligibility verification ensures that all patient information is correct right from the start and has long-term effects. Accurately verifying patient eligibility before treatment ensures that submitted medical claims align with insurance policies and patient coverages. Effective verification processes directly lead to fewer claims rejections and more approvals. Streamlining this process leads to reduced administrative burden, and expedites payments by not having to reprocess rejected claims.

Key Benefits for Large Providers

Our clearinghouse service offers several critical benefits tailored to the needs of large healthcare providers. By partnering with us, you can expect:

  1. Extensive payer network that ensures you have the necessary reach to keep your operations running smoothly.
  2. Cost savings with automation and a non-profit clearinghouse model focused on your success.
  3. Improved cash flow through faster automated claim processing and fewer rejections.
  4. Simplified EDI enrollment supported by a team of EDI enrollment specialists ready to help you.
  5. Real-time patient eligibility verification that reduces delays and improves patient satisfaction.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re ready to take the next step, visit our National EDI Network solutions page for more details on the benefits of working with UHIN. Next, check out our payer list and review our pricing options. Then, see how easy it is to start with our dedicated EDI Enrollment team.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help streamline your EDI processes and support your organization’s growth.

Newsletter: September 2024 Issue

by UHIN
UHIN September 2024 Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2024

Heading Into Fall

Keep scrolling for our final update on the Change Health Care cybersecurity event, the ways caregivers use the CHIE to manage falls amongst our older population, and how the Clearinghouse simplifies claim management for Providers. Plus, upcoming events, trainings, and conferences…

Join our 1,000+ followers on LinkedIn!

Spotlight

Final Update on UHIN’s Response to the Change Health Care Cybersecurity Event

Final Update on UHIN's Response to Change Healthcare Cybersecurity Event

​​​​We are pleased to announce that our efforts to restore full functionality following the cybersecurity event at Change Health Care (CHC) have been successful. Learn more about our streamlined enrollment processes, increased Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) submissions, and updated payer list.

Read the Update

From the UHIN Blog

Falls Risk Awareness Week

The week of September 23rd was Falls Risk Awareness Week. We took this time to bring attention to falls amongst our older population. Utilizing the CHIE’s Falls Risk Indicator, providers receive timely information about potential falls within their patient population, empowering them to contact patients with the right support to keep them healthy and independent.

Visit the Blog

Events

Upcoming Conferences and Events

September 26-27: Wisconsin Association of Health Plans Annual Conference in Elkhart Lake, WI
​
October 15-17: Civitas Annual Conference in Detroit, MI

November 4-6: Texas Covered Health Care Conference + Expo Event in Austin, TX

Trainings and Webinars

Stay Tuned for What’s Coming Up!

In the months ahead, we’ll host Virtual Payer Panels and CHIE platform trainings. Sign up in the email preference center to stay informed of dates and details.

Interested in learning how to use the CHIE or MYUHIN to their fullest capabilities? Make sure to visit the UHIN Education channel ​​​​​​to watch our how-to videos on YouTube. 

Wrapping Up

National EDI Network for Providers

Learn how UHIN’s Clearinghouse, the nation’s only nonprofit clearinghouse, provides a modern, mission-driven claim management solution for Providers.

Take a Look

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Final Update on UHIN’s Response to Change Healthcare Cybersecurity Event

by UHIN

We are pleased to announce that our efforts to restore full functionality following the cybersecurity event at Change Healthcare (CHC) have been successful.

Streamlining Enrollment Processes: Since the last update, we have completed key initiatives around streamlining enrollment, which has increased the number of Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) submissions through our new partner network.

For providers who are still not receiving ERAs, please complete re-enrollment in MYUHIN. If you have any questions, please contact us at enrollment@uhin.org.

Updated Payer List: UHIN has updated its payer list. If you are getting rejections regarding a payer ID, please check https://uhin.org/resources/payer-list.

Continued Progress and Support: UHIN remains fully committed to providing a seamless claims processing experience for all our customers.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership.

Newsletter: August 2024 Issue

by UHIN

AUGUST 2024

August Updates and What’s Ahead

In this issue, we discuss compliance with the Information Blocking Rule (IBR), share updates on our CHIE portal and Clinical Data Repository migration, as well as our progress following the Change Healthcare cybersecurity event. Looking ahead, we’re preparing for Virtual Payer Panels, CHIE platform trainings, and in-person conferences around the country. Finally, we’re proud to share that Gartner highlighted the UHIN Clearinghouse, emphasizing our long-standing commitment to compliance, security, and privacy.

Stay in the know – join us on LinkedIn!

Spotlight

Update: CHIE Portal and Clinical Data Repository Platform Migration

We’ve been working hard with our vendor to set up the new CHIE portal and Clinical Data Repository, as well as migrating data and connections for our interfaces. We anticipate going live at the end of September. We’ll send weekly updates with more information on what to expect. Click here to learn more about the new CHIE Platform.  
​​​​​
Portal users will see a more modern experience, including an updated homepage dashboard and patient summary. Based on feedback from users, we are migrating 5 years of data. We will migrate a longer history for allergies, immunizations, colonoscopies, and opt out requests.  

If you are not currently using the portal, you should not notice any changes in current functionality, and your alerts and interfaces should continue to work as they always have.

HIT News

Update

Positive Update on Our Progress Following the Cybersecurity Event at CHC

We’re pleased to provide a positive update on our ongoing efforts to restore full functionality following the cybersecurity event at Change Healthcare (CHC). Keep reading for updates on expanded payer network coverage, increased ERA submissions, streamlining enrollment processes, re-enrollment, and support.

Keep Reading

From the UHIN Blog

Hand under hologram of health data symbols

Bridging the Gap: Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and Information Blocking Compliance​​​​​​

As healthcare continues to share data and information more frequently, the importance of adhering to information blocking regulations cannot be overstated. Particularly as disincentive regulations for healthcare providers went into effect on July 31, 2024. See how HIEs play a role in Information Blocking Rule (IBR) compliance and benefit both patients and providers.

Visit the Blog

Events

Upcoming Conferences and Events

September 13: Utah Medical Association (UMA) annual House of Delegates in Midvale, UT

September 26-27: Wisconsin Association of Health Plans Annual Conference in Elkhart Lake, WI
​
October 15-17: Civitas Annual Conference in Detroit, MI

November 4-6: Texas Covered Health Care Conference + Expo Event in Austin, TX

Trainings and Webinars

CHIE Platform, Payer Panels, Our Education Channel

In the months ahead, we’ll host Virtual Payer Panels and CHIE platform trainings. Sign up in the email preference center to stay informed of dates and details.

Interested in learning how to use the CHIE or MYUHIN to their fullest capabilities? Make sure to visit the UHIN Education channel ​​​​​​to watch our how-to videos on YouTube. 

Wrapping Up

Gartner Highlights the UHIN Clearinghouse

Gartner released a report to help CIOs reexamine their clearinghouse solution to solve critical business and security concerns. The authors specifically highlighted UHIN as a stand-alone clearinghouse. For decades we’ve supported our customer’s efforts to prioritize compliance, security and privacy. We appreciate the recognition after all these years!

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Newsletter: July 2024 Issue

by UHIN

JULY 2024

Achieving Data Excellence

As the world’s greatest athletes convene and compete in Paris, we look at the ways each of us can strive for greatness in our own healthcare arenas. We all have a part to play in realizing collective success: Pursuing peak performance in electronic data interchange (EDI), building connections across organizations, and forming new bonds for lasting impact. How can you prepare and perform to claim gold in your respective field of play in healthcare?

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Spotlight

The Path to Gold and Glory

Leaders in healthcare electronic data interchange (EDI) must pursue peak performance in claim management and data excellence, akin to athletes pushing to win at the highest levels.

Just as sprinters, gymnasts or divers prepare meticulously and train relentlessly, EDI leaders must ensure accuracy, innovate continuously, harness data effectively, surmount challenges, foster a culture of teamwork, and celebrate successes along the way.

For health plans, the results from these collective efforts include significantly reduced costs, enhanced processes, and improved member satisfaction. Learn how you can incorporate the best practices of the world’s greatest athletes to achieve data excellence and become an EDI champion.

Become an EDI Champion

HIT News

Sarah Stierch (CC BY 4.0)

HHS Reorganization

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a reorganization aimed at enhancing its technology, cybersecurity, data, and artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and policy functions. This restructuring consolidates these responsibilities into a newly renamed office, the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC), to oversee key roles, including the Chief Technology Officer, Chief Data Officer, and Chief AI Officer. 

Why This Matters for Leaders in Health Information Exchange and Healthcare Data:

1. Centralized Oversight and Strategy: The reorganization centralizes technology, data, and AI oversight under the ASTP/ONC, ensuring a cohesive strategy and streamlined decision-making process.

2. Enhanced Cybersecurity Measures: By moving the “405(d) Program” to ASPR, HHS aims to enhance its cybersecurity efforts, providing a more robust, consolidated and coordinated approach to protecting health sector infrastructure. 

3. Focused Leadership and Expertise: The establishment of dedicated roles, including the Chief Technology Officer, Chief Data Officer, and Chief AI Officer, highlights HHS’s commitment to drive innovation, improve data governance, and ensure the safe and ethical use of AI in healthcare, benefiting both providers and patients.

Keep Reading

From the UHIN Blog

EDI Champions: Achieving Data Excellence

Claim managers at health plans can achieve excellence by adopting specific action items, such as refining validation processes, increasing their auto-adjudication rate, and ensuring secure transactions. Drawing inspiration from world-class athletes, they must remain focused, resilient, and committed to continuous improvement. Read this month’s blog post to see how you can incorporate the best practices of Olympic divers, gymnasts, cyclists, hurdlers, basketball teams, and sprinters to win gold and become an EDI champion.

Visit the Blog

Events

Recent and Upcoming Events

July 30: Provider Resource Fair hosted by Aspen Grove Behavioral Hospital in Orem, UT

September 13: Utah Medical Association (UMA) annual House of Delegates in Midvale, UT

October 15-17: Civitas Annual Conference in Detroit, MI

Trainings and Webinars

Webinars and Trainings

Coming soon: Our virtual Payer Panel series and training sessions on the new CHIE platform, specifically for portal users. Subscribe for more details and notifications!

Wrapping Up

Share Your Story

Got a story or event that your peers in healthcare and tech just have to know? An innovative interoperability solution or point of view?

Please email us at communications@uhin.org and we’ll include links to our favorite community content each month.

Join our monthly newsletter and don’t miss a thing!

EDI Champions: Achieving Data Excellence

by UHIN

Author:

UHIN

Leaders in healthcare electronic data interchange (EDI) must pursue peak performance in claim management and data excellence, akin to athletes pushing to win at the highest levels. Just as divers, gymnasts, cyclists, hurdlers, basketball teams, and sprinters train relentlessly to execute with precision, EDI leaders must remain focused, while taking meaningful actions to improve their operations every day.

The Pursuit of Perfect Precision

Divers focus on every detail to dive with precision from platforms up to 33 feet above the water and break the water with a splash-less entrance. For divers, hitting the surface with flat palms for a “rip entry” leads to a medal-worthy, tiny splash. Achieving excellence in claim management stems from meticulous attention to claim accuracy and closing the proximity of error. This pursuit involves reducing manual claim processes, refining validations, and improving auto-adjudication rates that will reduce costs and alleviate staff bandwidth. This makes the difference between winning gold and watching from the bleachers.

Automation of claims transactions could reduce the cost per transaction by up to 50% for health plans.

CAQH Index Report | 2023

Adaptation and Innovation

In the high stakes world of gymnastics, adaptation and innovation are key to staying ahead of the competition. Similarly, the healthcare industry is constantly evolving, and staying competitive requires embracing innovation and adaptation. From adopting cloud-based EDI solutions to integrating Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), EDI managers must be at the forefront of technological advancements. These innovations are revolutionizing claim management in ways that will enable enhanced data accuracy and improve compliance with ever-changing regulations.

Harnessing the Power of Data

Data is the lifeblood of both cyclists and claim managers. For world-class cyclists, data-driven insights and performance metrics are crucial for fine-tuning their training regimens. Power output, revolutions per minute, heart rate, watt-to-weight ratio, and other data help cyclists cross the finish line first. In the realm of healthcare, harnessing the power of data can transform claim management. Health plans can leverage claim data in many valuable ways, like identifying high-utilizers who drive up costs and loss ratios, detecting fraud, optimizing payouts, and more. This proactive approach – rooted in data analysis – can lead to reduced costs, precise payouts, improved security, and enhanced efficiency across the business.

Overcoming Hurdles

To win gold, world-class hurdlers prepare rigorously to clear physical hurdles without losing momentum. Similarly, EDI managers face daily challenges like dealing with paper claims, EDI enrollment, and meeting claim resolution within the mandated time frame. The right claim management solution will help to alleviate daily issues, deliver accurate data and facilitate consistent communications that ensure a smoother path to claiming gold in data excellence.

The Role of Teamwork

Behind every successful team is a dedicated group of coaches, trainers, and support staff. In healthcare data management, teamwork is equally vital. Collaboration between EDI managers, IT and operations teams, and technology partners is essential for achieving peak performance. By fostering a culture of open communication and cross-functional cooperation, organizations can ensure that every team member is aligned with the common goal of excellence in data management. This collaborative effort results in seamless workflows, fewer errors throughout the claim lifecycle, and enhanced automation. 

Celebrating Achievements

Every milestone reached on the track, whether it’s a personal best or a new world record, is a cause for celebration. In healthcare data management, it’s important to recognize and celebrate achievements. From achieving a new high in auto-adjudication rates to successfully implementing a new EDI system or resolving complex claim issues, these accomplishments are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team. Celebrating these successes not only boosts morale but also reinforces the commitment to continuous improvement and excellence.

Health plans can deliver short-term business cost savings affecting about 10% of total payer expenses by aggressively simplifying operations in 2024.

Gartner | 2024

The Path Forward

In conclusion, claim managers at health plans can achieve excellence by adopting specific action items, such as refining validation processes, increasing their auto-adjudication rate, and ensuring secure transactions. Drawing inspiration from world-class athletes, they must remain focused, resilient, and committed to continuous improvement. 

Leveraging data effectively and fostering teamwork are crucial for precise claim management and improving overall efficiency. Embracing innovation and adaptation will keep health plans competitive, cost-efficient and compliant in the evolving healthcare landscape. Thoughtful preparation and execution will help EDI managers overcome the hurdles on a daily and long-term basis. Coming together as a team, including with your EDI partner, leads to better communications, reduced manual work, and seamless workflows. Celebrating achievements, no matter how small, reinforces the commitment to excellence and motivates the entire team to strive for peak performance. 

The journey may be challenging, but the rewards of excellence in healthcare data management are well worth the championship effort.

Partnering with an established leader in claim management, like UHIN, sets your health plan on a path towards EDI excellence. As a mission driven clearinghouse, UHIN approaches claim management differently: we pass cost savings on to customers, provide expert, US-based customer service, and focus on the success of our customers – not our own.

Learn More

Unlocking the Potential of FHIR: An Overview of its Impact and Future

by Ryan McLelland
Doctor hands on tablet with hologram overlay of patient data

Author:

Ryan McLelland

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

As the CTO of UHIN, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges and frustrations of trying to achieve seamless interoperability. Data silos, incompatible formats, and outdated standards have long hindered our ability to share information effectively. But HL7® FHIR® (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) offers a glimmer of hope, a path toward a more connected and efficient healthcare ecosystem.

Understanding FHIR: A Paradigm Shift

FHIR represents a paradigm shift in healthcare data exchange. Unlike older standards like HL7 v2, which often resemble complex, rigid blueprints, FHIR is akin to a set of modular building blocks. These blocks, called “resources,” represent discrete units of healthcare information – a patient record, a medication order, a lab result, and so on.

The true power of FHIR lies in its flexibility. Resources can be combined and exchanged in various ways to suit specific needs. Need to share a patient’s medication history with a specialist? FHIR allows you to do that without sending the entire medical record. Want to integrate a new mobile app with your EHR system? FHIR’s web-friendly technologies make it easier than ever.

Dispelling the Myths: FHIR is NOT a Panacea

While FHIR offers immense potential, it’s important to be realistic about its limitations. It’s not a magic wand that will instantly solve all our interoperability woes.

First and foremost, FHIR is a standard, not a solution. It provides a common language for exchanging healthcare data, but it doesn’t address the underlying technical and organizational challenges that often impede interoperability.

Second, FHIR is not a plug-and-play technology. Implementing it requires careful planning, technical expertise, and collaboration among stakeholders. Organizations with legacy systems may face particularly daunting challenges.

Finally, FHIR doesn’t guarantee interoperability. While it facilitates the exchange of data, it doesn’t ensure that the data will be understood and used consistently across different systems. Achieving true interoperability requires not just technical compatibility but also semantic interoperability – the ability to interpret and apply data in a meaningful way.

The Benefits of FHIR: A Catalyst for Innovation

Despite its limitations, FHIR offers significant advantages over older standards. Its flexibility, ease of use, and strong community support make it a powerful catalyst for innovation.

By adopting FHIR, healthcare organizations can:

  • Improve data sharing: FHIR enables more granular and tailored data exchange, making it easier to share information with the right people at the right time.
  • Accelerate development: FHIR’s web-friendly technologies lower the barrier to entry for developers, potentially leading to faster innovation.

For example, UHIN’s Clinical Health Information Exchange (the CHIE)  is currently migrating to a new FHIR-enabled platform. Built on a highly scalable architecture, the platform allows for more efficient and secure sharing of data across enterprises.

The Road Ahead: A Strategic Approach to FHIR Adoption

To reap the full benefits of FHIR, healthcare organizations need to adopt a strategic approach. This involves:

  • Developing a clear roadmap: Start by defining your interoperability goals and identifying specific use cases where FHIR can add value. Transitioning totally functional workflows from older specifications to FHIR, just for the sake of using a more modern data structure, won’t create new healthcare outcomes on its own. We need to use FHIR when it’s appropriate and when it will provide the most advantage to our interoperability goals. 
  • Building a strong foundation: Invest in the necessary infrastructure, tools, and expertise to support FHIR implementation.
  • Collaborating with stakeholders: Engage with vendors, partners, and other stakeholders to ensure that FHIR implementations are aligned and interoperable.
  • Focusing on education and training: Ensure that your team has the knowledge and skills to work with FHIR effectively. While the FHIR structure can lead to an easier onboarding of software engineers, it also increases the complexity of a given use case by having multiple resources required to accomplish the same goal that a single CCDA may have solved previously. HL7 International offers online courses covering the fundamentals (for a price) and educational videos on its YouTube page here.
  • Embracing a culture of innovation: Foster a willingness to experiment and adapt as FHIR evolves. Many early adopters of FHIR were burned by the rapid change that occurred from version to version of FHIR. Knowing that there will be maturation of the standard is important to understand before starting an implementation. 

Conclusion: The Future of Healthcare Data Exchange is FHIR

FHIR is not a silver bullet, but it is a significant step forward in our quest for interoperability. By embracing FHIR and addressing the challenges it presents, we can unlock a wealth of opportunities to improve healthcare delivery, enhance patient outcomes, and drive innovation.

The future of healthcare data exchange is FHIR. Let’s seize this opportunity to build a more connected and efficient healthcare ecosystem.

Update on UHIN’s Response to the Change Healthcare Cybersecurity Event: Progress on ERA Delivery and Continued Collaboration

by UHIN

Dear Valued Customers,

This message serves as an update on our ongoing efforts to minimize disruption caused by the cybersecurity event at Change Healthcare (CHC), with a specific focus on Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) delivery (835 files). We appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we work to resolve these challenges. Please click here for more information on expediting enrollment with UHIN and FAQs regarding the CHC cybersecurity event.

Collaborative Efforts to Restore ERA Delivery:

UHIN is actively working to restore consistent ERA delivery for our broader provider community. Our internal teams, including enrollment specialists, application support staff, business analysts, and software engineers, are collaborating closely with their counterparts at our clearinghouse partners. This combined effort is focused on facilitating the smooth and efficient transmission of 835 files.

Acknowledging Provider Challenges:

We understand the difficulties this outage has caused for providers who rely on timely ERAs for accurate payment reconciliation. We are committed to making significant progress in opening these critical channels for a wider range of providers.

Positive Developments and Upcoming Information:

We have made significant strides in restoring ERA delivery functionality. We will provide more detailed information and a clearer timeline for full restoration once we complete the next round of testing currently underway.

Continued Commitment and Support:

UHIN remains dedicated to resolving outstanding issues and ensuring a smooth claims processing experience for all our customers. We will continue to provide regular updates and are here to assist you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer support team if you have any questions or require further assistance.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

Sincerely,

The UHIN Team

Newsletter: May 2024 Issue

by UHIN

MAY 2024

We’re Here, Already

For many of us, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to summer. Hard to believe we’re heading into June! In this month’s newsletter, we look at the importance of resilient, redundant and interoperable systems, the events and webinars coming up, and we attempt to foretell everything that will happen for the rest of the year.

Remember to join us on LinkedIn for frequent news and updates!

Spotlight

What’s in store for the rest of ’24?

The first half of this year was packed with exciting news and rocked by tech incidents. While we can’t predict the future, we can plan a better path ahead. 

Look into your crystal ball 🔮 What are your predictions (big or small) for things to come in healthcare this year? And, what are your goals that you hope to accomplish? We want to hear from you! 

Share Your Predictions

HIT News

Healthcare IT Today Podcast: Will the Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack Wake Up Healthcare?

John Lynn and Colin Hung look at where the industry stands just two months following the ransomware attack. For healthcare professionals, this could be a watershed moment for information security, revenue cycle management (RCM) and back-up planning for potential, future incidents.

Listen or Watch

From the UHIN Blog

City connected with blue lines of communication

Resiliency, Redundancy, and Interoperability

Our most recent blog post (authored by Brian Chin, UHIN’s CEO) addresses the importance of redundant and resilient healthcare systems, and how they support seamless interoperability in times of crisis. There are, of course, great benefits and challenges when it comes to maintaining interoperability during disaster recovery (see them below👇).

Read On

Events

Where we’ll be in the second half of 2024

September 13: Utah Medical Association (UMA) annual House of Delegates in Midvale, UT

October 15-17: Civitas Annual Conference in Detroit, MI

​​​​More to come: Stay tuned!

Trainings and Webinars

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Upcoming Online Trainings & Webinars

We’ll host training sessions on the new CHIE platform, specifically for portal users. Stay tuned for more details on our virtual Payer Panels where you can ask questions and get answers from health plan representatives.

Wrapping Up

Mental Health Month

May is Mental Health Month. Our partners and customers offer services and solutions that can help, including AARP Utah’s mental health and wellness resources and Valley Behavioral Health’s treatment programs and services for children and youth. We invite you to learn how you can get involved all year by visiting Mental Health America.

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