Health information exchange benefits

Q: I don't have an electronic health record (EHR) system, but I've been told that my state's health information exchange (HIE) still could benefit my practice. I understand that most HIEs haven't been set up yet, but how could they benefit paper-based practices?

A: The HIE will be beneficial to physicians because it will be a one-stop shop for patient health information such as lab results, imaging reports, and emergency department visit discharge summaries. No more getting on several different portals or having to pick up the phone to hunt for information about a patient. When your patient says, "I remember having lab work done, but I can't be sure of when or where," you'll have easy access to that information.