NC HIE Offers Secure Messaging for Physicians with NC DIRECT

north_carolina_Health_exchangeNorth Carolina Health Information Exchange (NC HIE) has partnered with Orion Health to offer an easy-to-use, secure communication method called NC DIRECT. This direct, secure messaging solution eliminates mail and fax transmissions between physicians and affiliated organizations, such as labs, public health departments, and other health care professionals. This initiative is free to NC HIE participants. Practices interested in becoming NC HIE participants should contact Chris Scarboro, Project Manager HIE and Strategic Development, North Carolina Community Care Networks, Inc., at [email protected] or 919-745-2379. The cost for non-NC HIE participants is $100 per year per mailbox.

Utilizing NC DIRECT allows physicians to provide more coordinated care to patients while maintaining security and confidentiality. NC DIRECT can be used for referrals, care transitions, public health reporting, and exchanging sensitive information, including Protected Health Information (PHI). NC DIRECT also provides access to a secure email web portal, secure mail and user-subscribed notifications, and the ability to send Continuity of Care Documents (CCD) to appropriate parties.

“This is an important milestone in our journey to achieve secure health information exchange, and it means that health care providers, large and small, will have an early option for electronic exchange of information supporting their most basic and frequently-needed uses,” said Dr. David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, former national coordinator for health information technology.  

NC DIRECT is part of a larger health information exchange effort called “The Direct Project,” lead by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

To learn more about NC DIRECT, click here or contact Adair Wallace, NC HIE Director of Business Development, at [email protected] or 919-882-0323.

 
 

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