In support of our mission to enable more whole-person care throughout the state of Georgia, GaHIN recently migrated to a new innovative technology infrastructure and launched its new social data platform (GeorgiaUnify). Many different organizations have taken notice and started to explore initiatives that put the platform to good use. Here are a few examples of pioneering initiatives that GaHIN is powering:
Red Blood Cell Antibody Data Sharing Initiative
Patients with blood disorders, such as Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), often experience worse health outcomes compared to other diseases. GaHIN is working to make available a patient’s antibody history prior to transfusion, which will help decrease the unnecessary and avoidable risk of hemolytic transfusion reactions and associated morbidity and mortality. These patients also typically have access to fewer health resources and are considered within a health disparity, so this initiative not only helps improve quality of care but also supports health equity.
Claratel Jail In-Reach Program
GeorgiaUnify is working closely with Claratel Behavioral Health (formerly DeKalb Community Service Board), a community-based behavioral health and developmental disabilities services organization. Initially, the two organizations are collaborating to create a complete, closed loop referral process for Claratel’s Jail In-Reach program. For this initiative, GaHIN is working closely with Claratel to build the organization’s intake assessment and workflows inside of the GeorgiaUnify system. Staff can use this tool to document their clients’ special needs. All care coordinators involved in the patient’s care can view the updates in real-time. The data is sent through GeorgiaUnify to the appropriate community service provider. And because GaHIN also hosts the client’s social and clinical history, the receiving provider can access the complete set of information needed to accept and process the referral. Claratel staff are then able to see if the client received the referred services to “close the loop,” which has never been possible before this initiative. Claratel conducts approximately 200 referrals each year.
Community Directory Project
Another example of GaHIN’s pioneering spirit at work is the Community Directory Project. This initiative also supports closed-loop referrals between social and clinical providers throughout the state of Georgia. By building a directory of community-based service organizations within the platform, GaHIN is able to streamline provider access to these services. In addition, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) now has a one-way data feed into GaHIN’s central data repository, which makes housing data accessible in the platform. This enables providers to better understand if a patient has requested and/or received support for housing. GaHIN is the first state HIE in the country to integrate housing data. By bringing all clinical, social, behavioral, and housing data into a single repository, GaHIN is empowering healthcare and social care providers to deliver better, more whole-person care to Georgia citizens.
Interested in learning more about GaHIN's pioneering initiatives or have an idea of your own? Please contact us today!
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