Community-based organizations (CBO), a critical component of the health care landscape, are the engine for social care delivery in underserved communities. New York City has made significant efforts to connect health care providers with HIEs, enabling them to electronically access and share patient health information. Among CBOs, however, there has been low engagement in HIEs despite potential benefits to care coordination. 

NYC REACH, at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, partnered with a local Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) in a pilot that engaged 10 CBOs to implement HIE. This connection enabled the CBOs to connect, access and share health information with hospitals and primary care providers, with the goal of improving health outcomes for shared patients/clients. 

This presentation will discuss lessons learned in engaging CBOs in HIE and the technical assistance needed for successful implementation. It will also examine benefits that HIE access can provide to CBOs, including streamlined operations, enhanced care coordination and improved quality of community-based programs.