Research Alert: May 13, 2016

Health Information Exchange: A Strategy for Improving Access for Rural Veterans in the Maine Flex Rural Veterans Health Access Program

This paper reports on the design and implementation of a first-in-the nation project to expand rural veterans' access to healthcare by establishing a bi-directional connection between Maine's statewide health information exchange (HIE) and Veterans Administration facilities and centers. The paper reviews key factors that have contributed to implementation challenges and successes and lessons relevant to efforts to create interoperable health IT systems across multiple, complex organizational settings.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the Maine Rural Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guide: Veterans and Access to Healthcare