Health information networks: enabling care management in IDSs

To be successful, IDSs require streamlined, information integration across the continuum of care. Having this capability enables IDSs to manage care and costs efficiently, provide physicians with enterprisewide access to eligibility information, and respond to the communication and quality demands of patients. For most IDSs, the quickest and most cost-effective way to achieve overall information-system integration is to implement a health information network (HIN) based on Internet technologies. A HIN enables IDS providers and staff to access requisite administrative and clinical information from throughout the enterprise using a Web browser.