MX August Newsletter
A monthly roundup of news and updates from MX
August 2023 Edition
Manifest MedEx To Apply for Designation as a Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO) in the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework
Manifest MedEx (MX), California’s largest nonprofit health information organization (HIO), recently announced that we intend to apply for designation as a Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO) in the California Health and Human Services (CalHHS) Data Exchange Framework (DxF), a first-ever, statewide data-sharing agreement that will accelerate and expand the exchange of health information among healthcare entities, government agencies, and social service programs beginning in 2024.
A QHIO is an HIO that has demonstrated its ability to meet DxF data exchange requirements. Under California law passed in 2021, most healthcare organizations are required to share health data as defined by the DxF so that every resident in the state can benefit from seamlessly coordinated care and services regardless of where they live or seek care. For many healthcare organizations without the current technical capability to meet the DxF requirements, a QHIO can help them securely participate in the DxF as permitted and required.
“Manifest MedEx has long been committed to advancing interoperability and health data-sharing across California in service to patients and their care teams,” said Jarrod McNaughton, Board Chair of Manifest MedEx and Chief Executive Officer of Inland Empire Health Plan. “Becoming a QHIO is an important step in enabling and supporting the high-quality health data infrastructure our state needs to ensure all Californians get the care they need, and no one falls through the cracks.”
Visit our website to read the full press release.
Data Sharing Agreement (DSA): Major Announcements Packed Into Condensed Advisory Meeting
- CDII’s plans to pursue a phased approach to establishing the Participant Directory—a vital resource for DSA signatories and their intermediaries to understand each other’s endpoints for requesting and receiving health and social services information under the DxF;
- The status of the DSA Signatory Grant program, including awardees from the first round of applications;
- The release of the final Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO) Application; and
- Published DSA Policies & Procedures (P&Ps) considered for potential revision by CDII, including the policy on Data Elements to Be Exchanged.
Manifest MedEx has early reactions to each of these important items, some of which we registered during the IAC. On the Directory, we noted the limitations of initially relying on Participant information from QHIOs (which have not yet been named) and national networks and frameworks (whose current users respond less frequently to queries for health care operations or public health—both permitted and required purposes under the DSA—compared to treatment). The timeline for the Directory’s implementation, with Phase 1 readiness not anticipated until 2024, also suggests that DSA signatories and their intermediaries may face security challenges with authenticating the identities and endpoints of parties making DxF data requests, at least through the early part of next year.
We reminded CDII that HIOs and QHIOs are often best positioned to serve as “umbrella applicants” that can prepare and submit grant proposals on behalf of the many Participants intending to use their services for DxF compliance. Leveraging QHIOs in this manner will help meet the State’s goal to distribute these resources to as many eligible organizations as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The QHIO Application marks a long-awaited milestone on the path to realizing essential infrastructure that DSA signatories can join and rely upon for their data-sharing obligations and needs. Please see our separate press release for our response and next steps.
While we seek more details and discussion on proposed P&P amendments, we are concerned that any loosening of technical standards to accommodate otherwise nonconformant data exchange methods—including and especially the requirement to share the full complement of the USCDI Version 2 data elements—risks undermining the intent and purpose of the DxF. Manifest MedEx is committed to enabling our participants to share and receive the entirety of the USCDI v2, including social drivers of health (SDOH), care team members, and sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) where available.
The DSA P&P Subcommittee on September 27 will delve deeper into both the Participant Directory and policy amendment issues. Manifest MedEx will contribute our insights and expertise at that meeting, as well as express our willingness to serve on the Technical Workgroup for the Participant Directory.
Congratulations to the DSA Signatory Grant Recipients!
CalHHS has announced the Round 1 DSA Signatory Grant awardees. Congratulations to those who received grants funding to help them meet their Data Exchange Framework (DxF) requirements.
Some MX participants may be eligible for these grants if they meet certain criteria. Interested in learning more? Contact us at info@manifestmedex.org to see if you qualify for upcoming rounds of grants.
Follow us on LinkedIn @Manifest MedEx, Twitter @ManifestMedEx, and visit our DxF resource center to stay updated on the Data Exchange Framework, Data Sharing Agreement, QHIO Program, Signatory Grants, policy updates, and upcoming events!
MX Network Growth: Additional Clinical Care Summaries
from CA Health Systems!
In our ongoing effort to ensure care teams have as complete a picture as possible when caring for their patients, and work to implement the DxF broadly across the state, Manifest MedEx is excited to announce that we are now bringing clinical care summaries from Sutter Health, UCLA Health System, UCSF Health System, UC San Diego Health, UC Davis Health System, and Dignity Health. This is in addition to the data from Kaiser Permanente we added last month.
All care summaries coming into the MX system are available in MX Access (both discretely throughout the portal and in the documents tab), as well as the following MX data services: CCDA Forwarding, Clinical Notes for Risk Adjustment, longitudinal patient summaries, and clinical extracts for HEDIS reporting.
This treatment-driven exchange is facilitated through our participation with national networks, like eHealth Exchange and Carequality.
We look forward to letting you know about additional planned data sources in the coming months.
News and Events
We are less than one month away from the AHIP's 2023 Consumer Health and Digital Experience Forum where Manifest MedEx's CEO, Erica Galvez, will join Blue Shield of California's SVP of Health Transformation and Provider Adoption, Krishna Ramachandran, in a discussion titled, “Leveraging Demographic Data to Address Equity."
Register here to gain access to a discussion on how health insurance providers and health data networks can effectively partner to collect and integrate data from disparate sources, gain better insights for population health management, and utilize data to address equity gaps and improve quality and population health outcomes
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Mimi Hall, Manifest MedEx's Vice President of Public Policy and Partnerships, is excited to join Laura Young, Executive Director at San Diego Health Connect; Wayne Enanoria, PhD, Chief Science Officer at the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department; and Dr. Shadi Barfjani, Senior Deputy Director of Public Health Services at the San Joaquin County in a discussion titled, "Modernizing Public Health Data Infrastructure for the Future: Lessons Learned from the Field" at CHEAC's annual meeting.
Register here to catch this session and stop by our booth to gain more insight into the world of health data exchange and the impact of health data interoperability on closing health equity gaps and improving patient outcomes.
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Manifest MedEx is excited to be a sponsor at the California Association of Health Plan's 2023 Annual Conference. Be sure to stop by Booth #101 to and connect with our team on how health plans can partner with MX to streamline post-discharge care coordination, reduce readmissions, and improve member outcomes and experience through seamless, secure data sharing.
Register here to learn more!
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ICYMI: How One FQHC Utilizes ADT Notifications to Support Enhanced Care Management and Improve Care for Vulnerable Populations
Aria Community Health Center (ACHC) is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) and Enhanced Care Management (ECM) provider committed to increasing access and improving the health and wellness of underserved and vulnerable patient populations. ACHC achieves this mission by providing personalized, high-touch patient care that addresses individual needs with respect, courtesy, and quality service throughout Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties.
ACHC joined the Manifest MedEx (MX) network in April 2022 to access admission, discharge, and transfer (ADT) notifications through MX Notify and longitudinal patient health records through MX Access. ACHC has utilized the MX suite of tools to improve their workflows and provide more timely and better coordinated care for both their ECM population and their full roster of patients.
Visit our website to learn how ACHC utilizes ADT notifications to support enhanced care management and improve care for vulnerable populations.
Network Growth
New data sources available on MX today:
ADTs from the following participant:
Monica Cepin, M.D., A Medical Corporation
CCDAs from the following 10 participants:
EPIC Management, LLC (5 locations)
Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital
James C. Ho, M.D., Medical Corporation
Monica Cepin, M.D., A Medical Corporation
Upland Medical Center (2 locations)
Lab data from the following 20 participants:
Chino Medical Group, Inc. DBA My Family Medical Group
Choice Physician's Network Inc.
Clinica Medica Familiar - PHN, Inc. (3 locations)
Desert Valley Medical Group, Inc. (3 locations)
Durga Medical Corporation (2 locations)
Mayflower Medical Group (5 locations)
New Genesis Medical Associates Inc.
New Life Medical Associates, Inc.
Saint Elias Medical Group DBA Elite Family Medical Group
Valenzuela Medical Group I, Inc. DBA My Family & Me Primary Care
Warren Regh C. Gabrillo III, M.D., Inc.
Have questions or want to learn more? We're here to help. Reach out.
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