Health providers join Sequoia Project

The Tiger Institute Health Alliance HIE - which includes University of Missouri Health Care, Capital Region Medical Center and other Missouri hospitals, clinics and post-acute care providers - recently joined the Sequoia Project eHealth Exchange, according to official at MU Health Care and SSM Health.

The Sequoia Project is a national health information exchange enables physicians at different organizations to electronically share and use up-to-date patient medical records. Because SSM Health, which has a clinic in Fulton, also is a member of the Sequoia Project eHealth Exchange, information now can be securely shared between the organizations.

St. Louis-based SSM Health includes 20 hospitals and more than 60 outpatient care sites in Missouri, Illinois, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

"As clinicians, we see patients from rural and urban areas across our state," said Thomas Selva, M.D., pediatrician and chief medical information officer at MU Health Care. "If we have patients from Jefferson City, St. Louis or other SSM Health sites visit our health system, we now can see a history of the care they've received. This helps us provide the most appropriate, safe and streamlined care for these patients."

The newly established interoperability with MU Health Care and other member providers enables physicians and other caregivers to obtain a more complete view of the health history of our patients, according to Dr. Richard Vaughn, chief medical information officer for SSM Health.

"As a result, we can make faster and better care decisions, avoid duplicating expensive tests, and ensure that patients who've previously received care at MU Health Care and other member facilities receive the safest and best care possible," he said.

The Tiger Institute Health Alliance is an important tool for patient care in Missouri and other Midwest states as well, said Michael Seda, director of regional operations at the Tiger Institute.

"By joining the Sequoia Project eHealth Exchange, we're able to connect to national health systems such as SSM Health and securely access patient health information when it's needed to provide optimal care," Seda said. "As the Tiger Institute Health Alliance continues to grow, it becomes even more valuable for our patients and health care professionals who receive and provide care throughout the country."