Report draws lessons of states' experience with sharing health information

States vary widely in how effective they are at creating systems that help healthcare providers and insurers share health information such as insurance claims and medical data, according to a new study from two researchers at the Brookings Institution.

The report looked at five states — Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, Tennessee and California — that have created state-level health information exchanges. It found that Massachusetts and Indiana have been more successful "across a number of metrics."

For the exchanges to be effective, the report concludes, "policymakers must present a clear vision, achieve consensus on key objectives, overcome organizational and market fragmentation, and work effectively with a range of different constituencies. There needs to be adequate financial resources and sustainable business models to support proposed changes and public and private leaders must have incentives to work well together in relationships based on mutual trust."

The report found states "have made progress in establishing organizational frameworks, building technology-based connections, and bringing relevant groups to the table for discussion.

"However, barriers remain in terms of governance, financing, and policy vision."

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