From the American Medical Association News today: The Social Security Administration says it has already demonstrated the business value of a national health information exchange through the test run it’s doing in collaboration with MedVirginia, a regional health information exchange in central Virginia.
The two started exchanging data in February to expedite disability benefit approvals. By using the data exchange to receive medical records that can help determine eligibility for disability benefits, the SSA says the approval process has been reduced to an average of 32 days from 83 days.
A handful of cases were determined within a day of being received, said Jim Borland, special adviser for health IT for the SSA.
“That just doesn’t happen,” he said. See more here