The VA and others pioneer eHealth Exchange health information network infrastructure

The eHealth Exchange, the largest nationwide health information network connecting the public and private sectors, has announced the go-live of its new gateway technology that is designed to simplify connectivity for its participants via a single connection to the nation. The benefits to members, the exchange said, will include reduced information-sharing expense, further expansion of its national footprint, and faster implementation of innovative capabilities such as real-time content quality validation and a national record locator service. When the eHealth Exchange was formed more than a decade ago by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), the government opted for a federated exchange approach, stopping short of creating a required gateway.