The Health Information Exchange (HIE) Program is focused on the aggregation and exchange of health data. The vision for HIE in Vermont is represented in three overarching goals:

1. Create One Health Record for Every Person - Support optimal care delivery and coordination by ensuring access to complete and accurate health records.
2. Improve Health Care Operations - Enrich health care operations through data collection and analysis to support quality improvement and reporting.
3. Use Data to Enable Investment and Policy Decisions - Bolster the health system’s ability to learn and improve by using accurate, comprehensive data to guide investment of time, labor, and capital, and inform policy making and program development.

The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) leverages federal funding under the HITECH Act and the State HIT-Fund to progress health information exchange activities on behalf of Vermont’s patients and providers.

Vermont’s Health Information Exchange (VHIE), operated by VITL, is a central system that aggregates data from electronic health records for use by providers and health care programs state-wide. DVHA contracts with VITL for operations and development of the VHIE system.

DVHA’s work on HIE is intended to serve the health care system and those who use it including patients, health care providers, the Department of Health, health care payers, care coordinators, community and system-wide delivery system programs, and population health programs and research. 

DVHA partners with the HIE Steering Committee to develop and oversee an HIE strategic plan which articulates a vision for developing HIE infrastructure to benefit patients, providers, and population health and delivery system programs. The strategic plan guides public investments in HIE, which are managed at DVHA thanks to the federal governments’ commitment to ensuring that the health system has needed technologies to document care, exchange data, support care coordination, and more.

The top priorities for the HIE Unit in SFY19 are:

• Partnering with the HIE Steering Committee to develop a strategic HIE Plan to coordinate state-wide HIE investment, governance and oversight.
• Meeting the requirements of Vermont Act 187 of 2018 to address the recommendations from the Act 73 of 2017 Health Information Exchange Evaluation and prepare for future endeavors.