Gov. Otter calls project 'a crucial step forward in improving healthcare’ across Idaho
BOISE, Idaho and SAN JOSE, Calif. — (Business Wire) July 17, 2008—Axolotl Corp. of San
Jose has been selected to supply the technology to power the Idaho Health Data Exchange, the state’s first
statewide health information exchange or HIE. Axolotl's
award-winning Elysium® Exchange technology will electronically connect more than 1500 Idaho physicians, 30
hospitals and 10 reference labs across the state so they can voluntarily share clinical information in real time,
said IHDE Board Chairperson Dick Compton, who announced the contract. The former Idaho state senator also chairs the
Health Quality Planning Commission, whose plan for a
health data exchange led to the creation of IHDE.
“This project is a fundamental building block in transforming healthcare in Idaho,” said Idaho
Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter. “Medical professionals across the spectrum will be able to access
the information they need to make better, faster diagnoses using technology that protects confidentiality.
It’s a crucial step forward in improving healthcare for Idahoans.” IHDE’s goals align with
those of the Governor’s Select
Committee on Health Care.
A public benefit corporation, IHDE, Inc., is a unique statewide partnership of Idaho healthcare providers,
health insurance companies and citizens. In 2006, the Idaho State Legislature created the Health Quality Planning
Commission and charged it with devising a plan for developing a uniform, statewide, flexible and interoperable
health information technology system. The Commission then created Idaho Health Data Exchange, Inc., to create
a health information exchange. The public-private partnership includes Saint Alphonsus and St. Luke’s Hospitals
(both in Boise), Kootenai Medical Center (Coeur d’Alene), St. Mary’s Hospital and Clinics (Cottonwood),
Clearwater Valley Hospital and Clinics (Orofino), physicians and pharmacists, and insurers such as Blue Cross of
Idaho and Regence Blue Shield.
As the country’s leading HIE technology vendor, Axolotl has enabled regional collaboratives around the
country to create successful health information exchanges since 1995. The Exchange will use
Clinical Messaging® technology
developed by Axolotl to allow secure linking and sharing of patient-centric information without compromising data
ownership, location or format.
“It’s quite impressive how healthcare competitors are actively collaborating to create one statewide
system that will benefit all Idahoans,” noted Compton.
“After two years of detailed planning, we chose Axolotl for their proven record of success in health information
exchange,” said Blue Cross Idaho CIO Mike Cannon who chairs the HQPC Technical Standards Subcommittee.
“Axolotl’s technology will enable us to quickly and cost-effectively implement the Exchange, which is
designed to improve patient safety and quality of care while helping to contain healthcare costs,” noted IHDE
Executive Director LaDonna Larson. “Axolotl clearly provided the most value for the dollar. We chose them because
they are a clear HIE leader in terms of both technology and experience.”
“We are pleased Idaho has chosen Axolotl as its technology partner for this important initiative,”
said Axolotl CEO Ray Scott, an eHealth Initiative board member.
“Together we can help Idaho improve outcomes and reduce cost through real-time electronic health information
exchange.”
More about IHDE
A unique partnership of Idaho healthcare providers, insurance companies and citizens, the Idaho Health Data
Exchange (IHDE) was created to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare in the state through
the secure exchange of health information. Development of the Exchange will help realize the Presidential goal of
value-driven healthcare and the establishment of a nationwide electronic health information network.
On the Net: IDHE/IHQPC site—
www.idahohde.org
About Axolotl
Founded in 1995, Axolotl Corp. is North America’s leading provider of browser-based products and
services for secure health information exchange (HIE)
and management. Its award-winning Elysium® Exchange suite enables healthcare providers to instantly share
information as well as reduce costs, improve quality and optimize efficiency.
Today Elysium helps thousands of healthcare entities—including hospitals, health systems,
regional health information organizations
(RHIOs/HIOs), clinics, laboratories, radiology centers and physician practices—securely exchange
clinical information for more than 25 million patients. Elysium’s community-wide Master Patient Index,
EdgeServer(s), Interoperability Hub, Virtual Health Record and EMR Lite with integrated e-prescribing are all
provided as a software service. In addition, Axolotl-employed U.S.-based transcriptionists provide high-quality
medical transcription services, rapid turnaround
and total billing transparency using Elysium technology for report delivery.
Axolotl is based in San Jose and best known for introducing Clinical Messaging®, now at the heart of all
health information exchange.
