NAME OF NETWORK: 
Southeast Nebraska Health Information Exchange (SENHIE) Network

Name of Grantee: 
Nebraska State Office of Rural Health
(DHHS, Public Health Division)   
 
Principal Investigator/Project Manager:
Dennis Berens (Program Director)
David Palm (Project Director)

Address: 301 Centennial Mall So Lincoln, NE  68509    
Phone:
402-471-0142 (Dennis Berens);
402-471-0146 (David Palm)        

Fax:  402-471-0180
          
Organizational Website: www.dhhs.ne.gov/orh
E-mail:  dennis.berens@dhhs.ne.gov  
Website:  www.thayercountyhealth.com       
Email:  david.palm@dhhs.ne.gov  

Project Purpose: The focus is on developing and implementing a sustainable interoperable system which will improve the flow of clinical information along the continuum of care in order to provide a seamless process of health care delivery for patients and providers.  The system will improve the quality of care by creating an electronic linkage which will allow each provider to make more informed treatment decisions based upon current patient data and information.  Services will include implementation of electronic prescribing for medical providers, electronic transmission of transfer/discharge forms, implementation of bedside charting for staff, access at the bedside for medical providers to consult with specialists, computerized medication administration forms, electronic access for EMTs of appropriate patient information in the field, and access to mental health providers for acute and long term care.  It will be an opportunity to explore the benefits of an electronic personal health record so that consumers can communicate electronically with their providers.

Outcome Measures/Expectations:  Seven project goals were identified:

1. Improve the connection to share information with the network tertiary hospital.
2. Build a bridge with EMTs to improve communication and share information.
3. Improve communication and share clinical information with long-term and assisted living facilities.
4. Improve connection to share information with satellite rural health clinics.
5. Improve the electronic connection with pharmacies to strengthen patient safety, quality, effectiveness, and efficiency.
6. Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the critical access hospital operations to strengthen patient quality and market position.
7. Address the safety and security of clinical health information.

The project is anticipated to:

• Improve the flow of clinical information along the continuum of care
• Reduce medication errors and improve medication reconciliation (e-prescribing/electronic connection)
• Improve coordination of care and efficiency for the continuum of care (electronic information/connection)
• Reduce duplication and cost regarding radiology tests (electronic transfer tests)
• Decline in patient transfers and medical complications (electronic connections)
• Increase patient days by 10% (fewer patient transfers)
• Improve health outcomes for patients with diabetes, heart failure and stroke

The project provides an opportunity to develop and share evidence-based practice protocols and standard order sets (quality improvement) areas of diabetes, heart failure, coronary artery disease, hypertension, osteoarthritis and preventive care along a continuum of care.
 
Service Area:  The initial network participants are located in the vicinity of Hebron, Nebraska (Thayer County, 2006 population estimate 5,317) and include the Thayer County Health Services located in Hebron and the surrounding communities in Nebraska.  All of the communities are rural and are located in the second and third congressional districts of Nebraska.  Wherever the patient enters the health care system along this continuum of care, the intent is to have current information accessible for all of these providers.

Network Members: Local partners will include a critical access hospital, five rural healthy clinics, a home health agency, a nursing home and an assisted living facility, several EMS units, a hospital-owned retail pharmacy and an independent retail pharmacy, and a network tertiary hospital. 

Equipment/Vendors or Collaborative Partners
Healthcare Management System – HMS, a CCHIT certified inpatient system vendor, will provide the hardware, software, and related implementation services for the project.  Includes: Electronic Medication Administration Record (EMAR), CPOE Provider Orders with Clinical View, Material Management Point-off-Issue, Surgical Manager, Setting up Comprehensive Training Environment; Ascent Capture & Scan Station, Client Report, Server/Backup Server and Transfer setup, Annual Maintenance and Support 24/7, Medical Grade 4-Port Concentrators, E-Forms, Digital Medical Records, and HMS to MediNotes interfaces

Medi-Notes – Provide the physician practice EMR and related implementation services for the project. MediNotes to HMS interface, V-chart scanning module, Annual Maintenance for V-chart, MediNotes eRX

Ice Technologies – Information technology technical assistance, hardware, software and cabling, including connections for HD high definition video conferencing

Zoll – E Series 12 lead ECGs with accessories to be used with Tough Books by EMS (transmission)

Alltel/Windstream – T-1 Line setup and Installation, wireless provider

Protex Central – Fire Suppression & HVAC for 3 data Centers – 2 in Hebron and 1 in Deshler (Deshler is backup system)

Nebraska Office of Rural Health – Provided early planning, technical assistance and serves as a bridge and the key collaborative partner

Nebraska Telehealth Network – The existing statewide network of 88 hospitals, 19 Public Health Departments and 6 Rural Health Clinics is expanding to enhance network coverage in the area with T1 lines

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