Assessing the value of health information exchange organizations to hospital interoperability

Various federal efforts have supported the development of local, regional, and state health information exchange organizations (HIOs), a type of network that promotes secure electronic exchange of patient health information among hospitals, healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and public health authorities. With the emergence of complementary and alternative modes to facilitate exchange, we sought to assess the value of HIOs to hospital interoperability.

We leveraged nationally representative survey data from a unique linked dataset of N  = 2200 hospitals linked to HIOs to examine the relationship between hospitals' engagement in a range of interoperability activities and participation in an HIO that offers services to support those activities.

We found that hospital participation in an HIO was significantly associated with greater engagement in clinical information exchange, public health reporting, and health-related social needs information exchange. However, among hospitals participating in an HIO, we did not find strong evidence of a relationship between specific HIO capabilities or services and hospital engagement in exchange.

Our findings indicate HIOs offer a useful avenue for exchange but are only one path through which exchange takes place as there are various alternatives available to support interoperability activities.