Creating Learning Laboratories

eHI has a rich history of testing the feasibility and evaluating new approaches for using health IT and health information exchange to address quality, safety and efficiency needs.

Over the last three years, through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration, eHI provided funding and technical support to ten state and community-based health information exchange initiatives across the U.S. These learning laboratories resulted in the identification of many lessons learned and practical tools and resources, that can be utilized broadly by healthcare leaders across the country. Several of the lessons learned and tools that emerged from the HRSA-funded Connecting Communities Program, including the eHI Value and Sustainability Model, are included in eHI's Connecting Communities Toolkit.

As part of its 2007 plan, eHI is launching a new set of learning laboratories designed to test and evaluate the feasibility of using electronic clinical information from health information exchange to support a variety of use cases, including those related to performance reporting/quality improvement, safety, and potentially consumer access to information. The learning laboratory on safety is now underway. Email janet.marchibroda@ehealthinitiative.org if you are interested in participating in one of eHI's new learning laboratories.