Sebelius appoints Health Information Exchange Commission
Technology has potential to lower health costs, improve quality

Technology has the potential to help lower health care costs, while at the same time improving quality and reducing errors.

That’s why Governor Kathleen Sebelius today announced the creation of the Health Information Exchange (HIE) Commission, a group designed to bring providers and stakeholders together to advance the use of information technology in health care.

“We have a real opportunity to use technology to get a handle on the administrative costs that eat up 30 cents of every dollar spent on health care.  Even something as simple as a health insurance card that can be swiped through a card reader instead of copied has the potential to reduce costs and cut down on billing mistakes,” said Sebelius.

“When you also consider the opportunities to reduce medical errors, it’s clear that we need to bring these new technologies into more widespread use,” she continued.

The HIE Commission will work to advance the recommendations of the HIE workgroups created through the statewide health information technology and health information exchange policy initiative.  That initiative was created by the Governor’s Health Care Cost Containment Commission, which sought to identify ways to reduce administrative costs in health care.

The new Health Information Exchange Commission will include representatives of the provider community, consumers, business community, health plans, government, information technology experts and health policy experts.  They will take a public/private approach to advancing the use of information technology and ensuring patients’ private health information is protected and secure. 

The new HIE Commission will further the work of the Health Care Cost Containment Commission by seeking opportunities to expand the initiatives and implement the recommendations of the previous commission including efforts to standardize credentialing procedures for physicians joining health plan and hospital networks, developing an advanced ID card project, and seeking ways to promote the electronic exchange of health information while assuring the privacy and security of that information.   The HIE Commission will coordinate and focus the state’s continuing efforts to capitalize on the advantages of technology to achieve health care cost effectiveness and quality.

Members of the HIE Commission include:

Co-Chairs:
Jeff Ellis, Lathrop and Gage
Karen Braman, currently Kansas Health Policy Authority, and as of 2-26, joining Preferred Health Systems

Members:
Tom Bell, Kansas Hospital Association
Jennifer Brull, MD, Prairie Star Family Practice
Helen Connors, KU Center for Healthcare Informatics
Joe Davison, MD, West Wichita Family Physicians
Diana Hilburn, Via Christi Health Systems, Inc.
Jackie John, RN, Great Plains Health Alliance
Maren Turner, AARP Kansas
Ken Mishler, Kansas Foundation for Medical Care
Marci Nielsen, Kansas Health Policy Authority
Sandy Praeger, Kansas Insurance Commissioner
Howard Rodenberg, Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment
Kristi Schmitt, ARNP, Finney County Health Department
Bob St. Peter, MD, Kansas Health Institute
Bill Thornton, MGP Ingredients
Bill Wallace, Blue Cross Blue Shield Kansas

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