PO Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-0360

For Release:
September 6, 2018

Shereef Elnahal
Commissioner

For Further Information Contact:
Office of Communications
(609) 984-7160

Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers joins New Jersey Health Information Network

More than half of NJ’s hospitals now connected to data exchange network

The Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers is the latest to join the New Jersey Health Information Network (NJHIN) that has seen more than half of the state’s hospitals connected since the beginning of the Murphy administration.

The New Jersey Department of Health, working with the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII), aims to make health care more efficient and reduce medical errors through an interconnected data exchange network known as the NJHIN. This will make it easier for healthcare providers to have electronic access to patient information such as medical histories, medication allergies and lab test results at the point of care, even if they were previously seen at a different healthcare provider in New Jersey.

“By the end of next year, our goal is to have all of New Jersey’s hospitals connected to the HIN to make it easier for providers to keep track of patients’ medications and test results, fill in gaps in patients’ health histories and avoid unnecessary procedures,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal. “This secure, statewide network fuels an innovation economy that Gov. Murphy supports with health information that is building the state’s public health infrastructure.”

With the addition of the Camden Coalition Health Information Exchange, now Cooper University Health Care, Lourdes Health System (Burlington and Camden), Virtua Health (Camden, Marlton, Voorhees, Berlin and Memorial) and Jefferson Health’s three New Jersey hospitals (Stratford, Cherry Hill and Washington Township) are participating in the NJHIN as hospital partners.

"We're delighted to join our partners across the state working to make New Jersey a leader in data-driven healthcare, especially for some of our most vulnerable citizens,” said Camden Coalition CEO Kathleen Noonan. “Alongside Trenton Health Team and Healthy Greater Newark, we have been using data to bring together partners to drive healthcare innovation within the region. Becoming a part of the NJHIN is the next step in our collaborative journey toward better health throughout New Jersey."

The Department, in partnership with NJII, is actively conducting one-on-one meetings with hospitals that are not currently connected to get them on board.

“With the help of our partners currently signed on and those who will be in the future, we look forward to ensuring interoperability in electronic records results in improved healthcare,” Commissioner Elnahal said. “The successful exchange of patient data through NJHIN means improved care coordination between providers and better outcomes for patients,” said Tomas Gregorio, Senior Executive Director, Healthcare Delivery Systems iLab, NJII. “With the data superhighway created by NJHIN, physicians have timely and accurate medical information to make the best possible clinical decisions.”

In the past, family members, caregivers and friends relied on handwritten paper notes to monitor medications, vitals, procedures and treatment and discharge plans. The HIN connects trusted data sharing organizations such as the Camden Coalition throughout the state, ensuring the right medical information is available throughout the healthcare continuum. In addition, NJHIN has the potential to bring healthcare information to consumers’ fingertips, through innovative applications that allow patients to access their health data seamlessly for their own health care needs. In this manner, the Department plans to work with other state agencies to allow NJHIN to be a major driver of entrepreneurship in the state, fueling the governor’s vision to build an innovation economy in New Jersey.

“As a consumer with a loved one with multiple health issues, I know firsthand the value of interoperability and electronic exchange of health records,” said Eileen Troutman, the Department’s Chief Information Officer and HIN Coordinator. “Navigating the health care spectrum and ensuring a loved one’s information is available across medical facilities is paramount to not only ensuring full medical history is available at all times but also peace of mind for family members and caregivers.”

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Last Reviewed: 9/6/2018