Primary Care Health Information Consortium (PCHIC)
PCHIC: An Overview | PCHIC's Mission | Targeting Providers | Current Use of IT in CHCs | PCHIC Approach
PCHIC: An Overview
PCHIC was formed in September 2005 with the support of a grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The consortium consists of 29 community health centers (CHCs), Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS), Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC), and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). Also involved are New York Presbyterian Hospital and 10 Medicaid managed care companies.
PCHIC’s Mission
To support the leadership role of NYC community-based primary care providers in their efforts to use health information technology to improve health outcomes, eliminate health disparities, and increase access to health data among traditionally underserved population
Targeting Providers in Medically Underserved Communities
The concept of community-based health care evolved in the mid 1960s out of concerns for the growing gap in health care access, especially in inner cities and rural areas. CHCs were established to provide comprehensive health care and social services to medically underserved populations.
The 29 CHCs in PCHIC serve nearly over 500,000 patients at more than 150 sites (see map). Ninety-eight percent of these patients are below the 200% federal poverty level, 50% are on Medicaid, and 20% are uninsured. In the near future, we plan to expand PCHIC membership to include small to mid-sized private primary care practices who also serve the indigent populations in New York City.
Non-hospital based clinicians and CHCs often have difficulty participating in health information exchange initiatives because they lack adequate financial and technical resources. PCHIC aims to provide the much needed venue for these providers to take part in the movement.
Current Use of Information Technology in CHCs
An information technology (IT) assessments conducted by DOHMH in 2004 revealed that, while the majority of NYC CHCs use computers to assist business operations and administration, only a minority have exam room connectivity (20%), link to external lab and radiology results (10%), or record chief complaints electronically (15%). Major barriers to effective adoption of health IT in CHCs include: 1) Prohibitive initial and on-going system development/support costs; 2) Lack of group purchasing or interface development; 3) Lack of on-site technical support at most FQHCs; and 4) Lack of standards and specifications for core preventive care functionalities.
PCHIC Approach
- • Assist constituent organizations in selection and adoption of public health-focused, interoperable electronic health record system;
- • Support widespread adoption of electronic prescribing and medication history provisioning;
- • Incorporate decision support logic based on DOHMH's Take Care New York initiative
- • Provide electronic bilateral linkages to DOHMH registries such as Citywide Immunization Registry and Automated School Health Registry;
- • Enable clinicians to participate in syndromic surveillance.
- • Improve transitional care and health outcomes for the 60,000 yearly former inmates through electronic linkage between correctional health system to community health providers.
- • Establish standards-based and scalable systems that can be readily expanded to other providers, other data sources, and to interoperate with health information exchange initiatives spearheaded by other stakeholders in New York.
