Referral Information Exchange®
If you’re familiar with CIEs (Community Information Exchanges) and HIEs (Health Information Exchanges), RIE® Referral Information Exchange offers next generation interoperability.
RIE is an invisible gateway that facilitates closed loop referrals between healthcare, behavioral health, mental health, and social care platforms. The software application simplifies data exchange because it works in the background across program applications and social care referral networks.
RIE Closes Gaps for Clinical and Social Care Referrals
If you work in a healthcare system or community-based organizations, you know that state and local communities may have multiple health information exchanges and community information exchanges. In addition, organizations use various electronic health record systems and social care SDOH software programs.
Some of these platforms integrate with information and referral systems like 211 and Find Help. The result can be the existence of multiple platforms in local counties and across states that cannot exchange patient or client referrals.
RIE enables clinical and social care community-based providers, as well as technology vendors, to bridge service area referral gaps. Referral information exchange is a time saving software application that works across geographies, bringing organizations together to facilitate clinical social care coordination.
The Link Between HRSN and SDOH
At a high level, reducing health care disparities and increasing focus on health-related social needs circumstances is a growing priority. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has led efforts to link health-related social needs with social determinants of health circumstances.
The Whole Person Care Pilot Program and the Accountable Health Communities Model are examples of these efforts. Additionally, Joint Commission 2023 requirements and local state 1115 initiatives continue to support SDOH assessments to create HRSN standards of care.
Initiatives to support vulnerable populations will continue to be announced. In May 2023, a CMS Rule announced Hospital Inpatient Quality reporting programs for attestation based measures for geriatric care (refer to page 446).
Referral Information Exchange Supports Clinical and SDOH Outcomes
RIE’s one-of-a-kind interoperability moves organizations forward to support national initiatives that will make social care coordination a standard of care.
Programs focusing on housing, transportation, SUD (substance abuse disorders), homelessness, re-entry, trauma, aging, youth-services, long term care supports and others can share referrals across clinical and social care organizations regardless of platform or software capabilities.
Implementing referral information exchange allows vulnerable people in rural and small communities to access local program support. However, the use of technology alone is not the answer to collaboration between clinical and social care organizations.
State and community efforts succeed when providers convene to align organizations around program management, strategic objectives, provider outreach, and use of data and analytics to support outcomes.
No Wrong Door Approach
The use of RIE can increase awareness of programs and user confidence to initiate referrals. This exchange of referrals and the potential use of local programs can provide data to payers and health systems who can develop ROI measures around social care.
Access to multiple referral networks through RIE allows organizations and their users to build relationships with complementary resources.
- Underserved individuals who need medical services can gain access to healthcare providers when community-based organizations initiate referrals.
- Clinical providers desiring to help their patients with food insecurity, housing, or transportation issues can confidently make closed loop referrals to CBOs.
- Community-based organization can refer to each other to expand service utilization by clients with multiple needs.
And best of all, there’s no more spending hours on the phone tracking down referrals. Physicians, nurses, and social workers end worry about whether a patient followed through when they leave the office.
Community based organizations can also be confident that referrals to clinical organization are received and acted upon. RIE creates a record to ensure follow up for vulnerable populations.
Request a demo of RIE, Referral Information Exchange, today.
