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Overview

What is WNYCIE?
The Western New York Clinical Information Exchange is an unprecedented collaboration among physician, hospital, and insurance organizations to share clinical information in efficient and meaningful ways to improve the delivery of care, enhance clinical outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs throughout the region. WNYCIE is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization.

WNYCIE supports and is working toward the vision of creating community-based virtual medical records and other clinical applications. The organization is taking a multi-phased approach to this vision with ePrescription identified as the first phase.

ePrescribing is currently an issue of national attention and has potential for an exceptional return on investment for several constituents. Its significant benefits include increased safety, efficiency in drug ordering and monitoring, and cost savings.

What is a RHIO?
WNYCIE is a Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) - a nongovernmental, multi-stakeholder organization that enables or oversees the business and legal issues involved in the exchange and use of health information, in a secure manner, for the purpose of promoting the improvement of health quality, safety and efficiency.

Officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services see RHIOs as the building blocks for the national health information network (NHIN). When complete the NHIN will provide universal access to electronic health records. Experts maintain that RHIOs will help eliminate some administrative costs associated with paper-based patient records, provide quick access to automated test results and offer a consolidated view of a patient’s history.

Who is WNYCIE?
WNYCIE is a consortium of various key stakeholders in the Western New York healthcare system including Charter Members:

• The Catholic Health System of Buffalo
• Erie County Medical Center Corporation
• HealthNow New York (BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York)
• Independent Health Association
• Kaleida Health
• Roswell Park Cancer Institute
• Excellus (Univera Healthcare)

WNYCIE  also includes a broad representation of healthcare professionals and organizations throughout the eight-county Western New York region such as:

• Buffalo Academy of Medicine (BAM)
• Buffalo Medical Group P.C.
• Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH)
• State University of New York at Buffalo

The organization is still in formation and there is a dedicated effort to include comprehensive representation from healthcare professionals and organizations in the rural communities of Western New York.

WNYCIE is uniquely qualified to lead this initiative in Western New York. All of the Charter Members are part of WNY Health-e-Net, a regional administrative data exchange with a proven track record of successful collaboration.

Who Benefits?
The primary beneficiary of an effective WNYCIE organization will be the Western New  York healthcare consumer. Broader, quicker access to medical information will translate into better clinical outcomes, increased professional collaboration for the identification and treatment of illness or injury, improved efficiency and lower costs, and overall improved patient safety.