STHL is pleased to announce that Dr. Karen Banks-Lindner's

Dr. Banks-Lindner receives web portal training

Internal Medicine practice in Norwich has added access to the STHL Web Portal to its resources.  Dr. Banks-Lindner remarked, "We are very excited to have access to the Southern Tier HealthLink web portal health information exchange.  It will give us quicker test results from area labs, and allow us to check patient records 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in case emergencies arise.  We look forward to getting STHL connected to our Medent software system soon."

The STHL health information exchange (HIE) links a broad range of patient healthcare information from regional providers, including:

Allergies                           Tests and procedures
Medications                      Radiology images

Southern Tier HealthLink supports medical practices in using e-health technology to reach Meaningful Use.  We can connect your practice to the STHL health information exchange (HIE), enabling you to share and access health information from New York State Department of Health, hospitals, labs, radiology centers and other practices across the Southern Tier.  We can also assist you in selecting, implementing, and meaningfully using an electronic medical record (EMR) through New York's Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (REC) program.

The federal government has set 2014 as the last year to be eligible for incentives for EMR adoption and reaching meaningful use.  The objectives and measures of meaningful use are defined as demonstrating use of a certified EMR technology in a manner that improves quality, safety, and efficiency of health care delivery, reducing health care disparities, engaging patients and families, improving care coordination, improving population and public health, and ensuring adequate privacy and security protections for personal health information.  For an overview of EMRs and Meaningful Use, go to NYeC EHR 101.

Significant funding (up to $44,000 per provider for Medicare and $63,750 per provider for Medicaid) may be available to help your practice purchase and/or implement an EMR system.  After 2014, penalties may apply for practices that have not reached Meaningful Use.  For more information on Medicare and Medicaid incentives, see NYS CMS Medicare and Medicaid EHR Meaningful Use Incentive Guidelines.

To learn more about STHL's HIE, linking to our web portal, and help with Meaningful Use, contact STHL at or .

Southern Tier HeathLink (STHL) has promoted Emily Pape to Deputy Director, reporting to STHL Executive Director Christina Galanis. In her new role, Emily will function as a second-in-command to Galanis and is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of STHL's key programs, including interactions with STHL's constituents and committees and the STHL Board of Directors.

Emily joined STHL in 2009 as Project Coordinator for Privacy, Security and Research.  In this position, she has been responsible for ensuring that STHL privacy and security policies and measures are compliant with New York and federal regulatiions, and for reporting on development milestones and performance.  She participates in several New York workgroups designing policy for Regional Health Information Organizations, and also manages projects related to STHL's reporting responsibilities and services, the STHL Web Portal, and patient consent.

Emily completed a Ph.D. in Health Services Organization and Policy from the University of Michigan, focusing on health care policy research.  Before entering graduate school, she worked in the Health and Human Resources Division of the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, D.C.  Her professional interests in health care policy include health IT, quality of care, health care payment systems and long-term care.

Executive Director Christina Galanis commented, "Emily has made significant contributions to STHL over the past year and we are excited to expand her responsibilities as our Health Information Exchange continues to grow in scope and importance to the Southern Tier's healthcare community."  Emily is excited with her expanded role at Southern Tier HealthLink because "STHL is on the forefront of information technology that will not only change how health care is delivered, but also improve the value of care.

Meet Carolyn Stanford, STHL's Administrative Consultant focused on training.  Carolyn joined STHL to help with database administration, and has now taken on the role of our training representative, with a focus on hospital and clinical sites in STHL's five-county area.  When she is not on the road, Carolyn will continue to work on coordinating information in the Master Patient index.

Carolyn is a perfect fit for our expanded training needs because she has 20 years of experience working in the medical field.  She holds an Associate's degree in Applied Science from Luzerne County Community College.

Carolyn moved to the Broome County area two years ago and lives in West Corners with husband Pat.

Southern Tier HealthLink (STHL) has installed its Health Information Exchange (HIE) web portal access to those UHS Medical Group Paper-based practices that are not scheduled for NextGen until mid-2011.  Web portal access training has been completed at the following UHS practices:

Women's Health Center                                Urology (Wilson Square)
Dermatology                                              Sleep & Neurodiagnostic Center
Podiatry (2 locations)                                  Gynecology (Wilson Square)
Primary Care (Lisle)                                     Surgery (Wilson Square)
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery                Urogynecology
Orthopedics                                               Physical Therapy (4 locations)

UHS Practitioners were excited about the availability of lab tests, Lourdes reports, PACS images and other information.  Robert Pascucci, CMA, UHS Orthopedic Surgery said, "I can really see the value of the STHL Health Information Exchange.  Having access to reports from other providers, particularly those outside the UHS system, will definitely benefit our work here at UHS Orthopedic Surgery."

STHL and UHS Medical Group NextGen practices have bi-directional exchange of patient information.  It currently appears on the right side of the patient screen as a report and will be fully integrated into NextGen in a future release. Access to information in the HIE is subject to HIPAA and HITECH security and privacy regulations, and organizations are audited by STHL for compliance.
 
For more information on how your practice can access STHL's HIE Web Portal, call us at , or email Emily Pape at .

STHL attended the Broome County Bar Association's Fourth Annual Senior Legal Clinic on Saturday, October 23,at the Binghamton University Downtown Center, 67 Washington Street, Binghamton.

Broome County residents age 60+ received private legal consultation from local attorneys in any of the following areas: Wills/Trusts, Powers of Attorney/Health Care Proxies, Medicaid Planning, Landlord-Tenant, Real Estate, Oil and Gas Leases, Grandparent's Rights, Debt Collection, and Bankruptcy.

STHL Project Coordinators Dennis Sherba and John Hayek were on hand to discuss the health information exchange (HIE) with attendees.  They overviewed the many benefits of electronic medical records (EMRs) and the HIE Consent process, encouraging attendees to choose "YES!" to consent to allow their participating health care providers to access their health information through STHL's health information exchange. 

STHL donated two Binghamton Senators ticket coupons to the event to help encourage participation, and John was interviewed by Don Giovanni live on radio station WINR am 680 about STHL, EMRs and the many benefits of a health information exchange, including accurate documentation of medications and allergies, comprehensive medical history enabling more timely and accurate diagnoses, and records access should an emergency arise.

Clinic attendees were directed to STHL's website at sthlny.com for more information.