Network Health, a nonprofit health plan that delivers health coverage to more than 215,000 Massachusetts residents, has received a $75,000 grant to implement a partnership with Brockton Neighborhood Health Center (BNHC) on the Massachusetts Health Information Highway (Mass HIway), the statewide HIE network. The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s MeHI has awarded the grant to make the connection possible.

BNHC currently delivers care to approximately 25,000 patients, including 2,300 Network Health members. Currently, Network Health and BNHC coordinate care for high-risk patients via a telephonic process unsupported by integrated systems. The grant will allow the organizations to securely exchange the information necessary (in the form of e-Care Plans) to provide improved patient-centered, team-oriented care. All members of a patient’s care team will now be able to immediately access and act on key information, helping the organizations in their ongoing efforts to achieve the best health outcomes.

The Mass HIway, established by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, is a new network designed for securely sharing health data to improve the quality of care.

“Securely sharing records and detailed care plans for patients in real time forges stronger partnerships between care providers, community organizations, and health plans to deliver the most efficient and effective care possible,” Sue Joss, Brockton Neighborhood Health Center CEO, said in a statement.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity and resources to partner with BNHC and get them connected to the Mass HIway,” added Peter Bristol, Network Health chief technology officer. “This new statewide health information exchange network has tremendous potential to address the information gaps which undermine effective care. The inability to electronically share health information in a secure and timely way has been a huge source of frustration for patients, health plans, and providers. This network solves that problem. It provides the necessary trust fabric, gateways, directory services, and routing services to interconnect the state’s many health information systems. Health centers like BNHC are on the front lines of improving the health and wellness of their communities, and need this type of connectivity to provide the best care possible.”