Managed care organization to leverage local health information organization to provide all of its members and providers with complete information for care and well-being
Scotts Valley, CA — June 10, 2024 – Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance) today announced its collaboration with Serving Communities Health Information Organization (SCHIO), one of the oldest and most advanced multi-stakeholder health information exchanges (HIEs) in the country. This partnership will enable Alliance Medi-Cal members and providers in all five Alliance-served counties—Santa Cruz, Monterey, Merced, San Benito and Mariposa—to seamlessly exchange health data between healthcare systems, enhancing care coordination and improving health outcomes. This collaboration ensures compliance with both the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) as well as the California Data Exchange Framework (DxF) programs.
The California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) recently introduced its new Data Exchange Framework (DxF), a set of extensive data exchange standards that guarantee California residents access to their medical records at any site of care in the state. On October 24, 2023, SCHIO was designated as a California Qualified Health Information Organization (QHIO) to facilitate the secure exchange of health and social services information, assisting entities as they create and respond to information requests, receive the results of tests or referrals, and request notifications of admissions or discharges.
“Qualified Health Information Organizations create an accessible path for countless health and social services entities to participate in the Data Exchange Framework, providing access to actionable data across California’s entire health and social services system,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary of CalHHS.
With DxF requirements having become mandatory across California on January 31, 2024, the Alliance has chosen Santa Cruz-based SCHIO to assist its Medi-Cal providers in navigating what are expected to be the nation’s most rigorous data exchange policies. This collaboration is based on a health information exchange (HIE) model that enables most healthcare data to be securely shared via SCHIO.
“SCHIO makes data available to the Alliance and its partners to facilitate decision-making, meet data-sharing regulatory requirements, align with CalAIM, and ultimately improve the health outcomes of the populations that we collectively serve,” said Cecil Newton, Chief Information Officer of Central California Alliance for Health. “This arrangement is an extension of over six years of mutual commitment to offer healthcare organizations a better understanding of the new interoperability regulations and technology solutions to simplify care. We are looking forward to standardizing and streamlining Californians’ access to healthcare services.”
Using SCHIO’s proven technology to aggregate clinical data from diverse sources, SCHIO achieves seamless data aggregation and standardization, reduces providers’ administrative and technology burdens, and helps healthcare organizations improve the quality of shared information to meet current and forthcoming health and wellness requirements.
“We are thrilled and grateful to be selected by the Alliance,” said Daniel (Dan) Chavez, Executive Director of Serving Communities Health Information Organization. “Through our close association with the Alliance in Santa Cruz County, we have established a relationship built on proven delivery, community and trust, making a lasting investment by helping healthcare organizations achieve greater interoperability and deliver an improved patient experience.”
About Serving Communities Health Information Organization (SCHIO)
Established in 1996, the Serving Communities Health Information Organization (SCHIO) is one of the oldest and most advanced multi-stakeholder health information exchanges in the country. SCHIO connects more than 100 organizations, including primary care and specialist physician groups, hospitals, federally qualified health centers, county clinics, providers of mental health and substance use disorder services, community service providers, national and local reference labs, imaging centers and ancillary providers. Through comprehensive information curation and sharing, SCHIO advances the well-being for everyone in the communities it serves. Learn more at www.schio.org.
About Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance)
Central California Alliance for Health (the Alliance) is a regional Medi-Cal managed care health plan established in 1996 to improve access to health care for over 456,000 members in Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. Using the state’s County Organized Health System (COHS) model, the Alliance delivers innovative community-based health care services by connecting members with providers that deliver timely services and care, focused on prevention, early detection and effective treatment. As an award-winning managed care health plan with a vision of “healthy people, healthy communities,” the Alliance remains focused on efforts to improve access to quality health care for its members. For more information, visit www.thealliance.health.