OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Johnson County Mental Health Center has successfully connected with the Kansas Health Information Network’s (KHIN) health information exchange in an initiative to provide coordinated care for persons in the state’s most populous county.
Using Overland Park-based Netsmart’s CareConnect™ solution, the Center can electronically exchange authorized client information such as medical histories, previous behavioral health diagnoses, substance use history, and medication lists with hospitals and clinics statewide that provide acute and behavioral care and services. CareConnect transmits the protected health information in a secure, encrypted and auditable manner in order to coordinate care and ensure providers have a complete picture of the client’s data throughout their continuum of care.
“This connection provides us with a more comprehensive, holistic view of our clients,” said Johnson County Mental Health Center director Tim DeWeese. “Previously, we had to exchange phone calls or faxes with other human services and medical providers to learn about a given client. A lot can be lost in translation.”
“The ability to coordinate care and share information is vital to providing quality, comprehensive services and improving population health,” said Netsmart CEO Mike Valentine. “We are pleased to be able to facilitate treatment of the ‘whole person’ here in our own backyard of Johnson County and across the country.”
The KHIN health information exchange is designed to ensure that community exchanges can focus on care coordination and local innovative strategies that improve client outcomes.
”We are pleased that Johnson County is electronically connected to our hundreds of member organizations throughout Kansas, including hospitals, clinics, community mental health centers and addiction treatment centers,” said Laura McCrary Ed.D., executive director of KHIN. “Our state is taking a leadership role in providing holistic care, and behavioral health is a key part of that equation.”
The launch of the connection between Johnson County and KHIN is just the latest step in an initiative announced in July of this year. That’s when the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas (ACMHCK) declared that its behavioral health-centered Health Homes would utilize Netsmart’s CareFabric solution to streamline communication and monitor outcomes. Health Homes, a component of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, are teams of healthcare professionals responsible for coordinating integrated care across multiple providers.
About Kansas Health Information Network
Hundreds of hospitals and clinics in the state work in conjunction with KHIN. KHIN’s mission is to improve healthcare quality, coordination and efficiency through the exchange of health information at the point of care utilizing a secure electronic network provided by a collaboration of health care organizations.
About Johnson County Mental Health Center
Johnson County Mental Health Center's mission is to improve the mental health and quality of life for Johnson County residents. Our staff accomplishes this by providing mental health and substance services tailored to the needs of those we serve, which are of the highest quality and easily accessible to all residents.
About Netsmart
Netsmart is committed to helping health and human services providers deliver effective, outcomes-based care with Netsmart’s CareFabric™ solution, a tightly woven framework of innovative clinical and business solutions and services that supports integrated, coordinated delivery of health services across the spectrum of care.
More than 23,000 client organizations, including 450,000 care providers and more than 40 state systems use Netsmart solutions to help improve the quality of life for more than 25 million people each day. Netsmart clients include mental health and addiction services agencies, health homes, psychiatric hospitals, private and group mental health practices, public health departments, social services and child and family services agencies, managed care organizations, and vital records offices.
Netsmart is pleased to support the EveryDay Matters Foundation, which was established for behavioral and public health organizations to learn from each other and share their causes and stories. For more information, visit www.everydaymatters.com
Learn more about how Netsmart and the CareFabric solution are changing the face of health care today. Visit www.ntst.com, call 1-800-472-5509, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter, like us on Facebook or visit us on Google+ and YouTube
CareFabric is a trademark of Netsmart Technologies, Inc.
