NC HealthConnex's Upcoming Outreach to Unconnected N.C. Health Care Providers
The N.C. Health Information Exchange Authority enters a new phase of its mission: providers and entities regulated by the Statewide Health Information Exchange Act have a new statutory deadline of Jan. 1, 2023, to connect to NC HealthConnex.
In early January, the NC HIEA will continue outreach efforts to unconnected members of the health care community, supporting its mission to improve health care quality and outcomes for North Carolinians by connecting health care providers and enabling them to safely and securely share health information through a trusted network.
The NC HIEA will mail letters to unconnected health care providers and organizations encouraging them to immediately take action to meet the Jan. 1, 2023, deadline. Consistent with directions from the N.C. General Assembly, these letters will “share information with each provider or entity about the Statewide Health Information Exchange Act and how to connect to the HIE Network.” The letters will encourage providers to initiate a legal agreement and/or the connection process with NC HIEA.
Cybersecurity Tips for the Holiday Season
It's that time of year again – festivities, family gatherings and holiday shopping. Many consumers will avoid brick-and-mortar stores and choose to shop online instead.
For online shoppers, it's important to remain vigilant and be aware of the cyber risks. While legitimate businesses are after your money, so are cybercriminals. Be careful not to fall prey to them.
- Do not use public Wi-Fi for shopping.
- Make sure that shopping sites are legitimate and secure.
- Know what the product should cost.
- Do not use debit cards.
- Keep your systems up to date.
- Think before you click.
- Use strong and unique passwords.
- Avoid saving your information while shopping.
- Don’t share more than you need to with shopping sites.
- Monitor your financial accounts.
Get more cybersecurity tips for holiday shopping, giving, and traveling, and read the December cybersecurity newsletter from the N.C. Department of Information Technology's Enterprise Security and Risk Management Office.
NC HealthConnex, as part of NCDIT, is attuned to mitigating these risks with our technical partners. Learn more about our privacy and security policies.
Upcoming Events
- How to Connect Call — Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2021, noon to 1 p.m.
Interested providers may register to join a monthly "How to Connect" call to learn about who we are, as well as the state mandate, steps to connect and value-added features. - Quarterly User Audit — Friday, Dec. 31
NC HealthConnex Participant Account Administrators contacted by email should complete their user audits. See the Quarterly Audit Quick Reference Guide, or for assistance, contact the NC HealthConnex Help Desk Team at hiesupport@sas.com or 919-531-2700. - N.C. Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Annual Conference — Tuesday, Jan. 11, 1:45 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Breaking Silos: How a N.C. HIE Expanded Data Sharing Across Agencies for COVID Response
Christie Burris, NC HIEA executive director, shares how NC HealthConnex collaborated with state agencies to quickly set up new data-sharing pathways to meet the novel challenges of the pandemic. Find out how to attend. - NC HIEA Advisory Board Meeting — Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
If interested in attending the NC HIEA Advisory Board meeting please email Trista Nance at Trista.nance@nc.gov.
In the News
Benefits, Challenges of Using EHR Data for Clinical Research – Leveraging EHR data for clinical research is promising, but a lack of data standards present challenges for research usability. ehrintelligence.com
States of Health Information Exchange Implementation – Providers and health IT professionals across the country are demanding health information exchange across institutional barriers, but developing a sufficient infrastructure faces diverse challenges. ehrintelligence.com
U.S. Faces Crisis of Burned-Out Health Care Workers – Hospital leaders are sounding the alarm as health systems face an exodus of exhausted and demoralized doctors, nurses, and other frontline workers. Stakeholders call for systemic solutions to retain critical personnel while preparing a new generation for the field. usnews.com
Healthcare Delivery Development and Redesign: Integrating Systems for Better Outcomes – The design, development, restructuring, and implementation of integrated healthcare delivery systems by focuses on populations that depend on publicly funded services and the providers who care for them. healthmanagement.com