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AccessMyHealth.org Web site Establishes 'Listening Post' for Washingtonians

For Immediate Release: 06/05/2008
Contact: Dave Wasser 360-923-2711

OLYMPIA - AccessMyHealth.org, a new partnership of Washingtonians - patients, doctors, consumers, and others - has launched a Web site where state residents can be actively engaged in learning about and working toward convenient, accessible, and secure online personalized health information. The Web site, and the kick-off of an online survey accessible from the homepage, are all part of a broader effort administered by the Health Care Authority (HCA) through the Health Information Infrastructure Advisory Board (HIIAB) - a statewide board developing a strategy for adoption and use of electronic records in the state's health care community.

"AccessMyHealth.org is a great opportunity for Washingtonians to learn about the benefits of having their health information online - in a very secure manner - and to provide input on how such a system should work," said Governor Chris Gregoire. "The Evergreen State is taking a leadership role - along with The Cleveland Clinic, the Mayo Clinic, and Google Health's recently announced beta program - to learn from the prospective users of online health records. We want to hear from patients, doctors, or consumers that are ready to take charge of their own health."

AccessMyHealth.org is an additional outreach effort being undertaken by the HIIAB and the state's Health Care Authority related to online health records. The HCA recently announced the availability of up to $2 million for grant awards to Washington-based not-for-profit organizations to explore the viability and value of personalized online health records. With a maximum grant award up to $600,000, it is possible that two to four regional grants will be funded for testing in early 2009.

"We encourage anyone in the state of Washington to take our very first online survey," said Wendy Carr, chair of AccessMyHealth.org. "We've got the questions - and Washingtonians have the answers. What information should be included so that online health achieves the convenience and value demonstrated by online banking? What privacy and security measures are important to Washingtonians? How can doctors work with their patients to take advantage of online health records and share information more effectively?"

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and the Legislature have long advocated the use of technology to reduce expensive redundancies in health care, and to better share information between health care givers and patients.

Using this new technology, patients will have the ability to view and share a copy of their health record - without having to create from scratch the mounds of information, prescriptions, and medical data; the information is supplied by various health care sources. By having the ability to access and use their health information - patients would be able to manage when, how, and with whom they will share all or part of their health information.

For more information about the HCA Grant Solicitation document, please visit AccessMyHealth.org and click on the link to the HCA Web site: www.hca.wa.gov/hit. Grant solicitation responses are due June 30, 2008; grant award recommendations will be announced on July 21, 2008; the pilot system(s) must be operational and in production by February 2, 2009.

Any not-for-profit based in Washington State is eligible to receive grant monies - it is not required that the organization be a 501c(3) charitable organization. The grant recipients can partner with for-profit or other not-for-profit entities to complete the scope of work.

To take the first of three online surveys, please visit AccessMyHealth.org and click on the bright orange link titled "Take Our Online Survey" in the lower right hand corner of the homepage. AccessMyHealth.org will protect the privacy of everyone's personal information to the full extent of the law; the organization will not share email addresses or other personal information with any other party for commercial purposes.