American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Certification Practice Exam

Health information exchange (HIE) is defined as the electronic sharing of health-related information among organizations to enhance care coordination. This process enables different healthcare entities, such as hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and other providers, to access and share patient information efficiently and securely. The main goal of HIE is to improve the quality of care, reduce errors, decrease healthcare costs, and ensure that healthcare providers have the most current and comprehensive patient data available at the point of care.

Other options do not accurately capture the essence of HIE. For instance, billing processes focus on the financial aspects of healthcare rather than the sharing of clinical information; compliance with health regulations pertains to adherence to laws and standards rather than inter-organizational communication of health data; and telehealth platforms address remote consultations rather than the systematic exchange of medical information across various healthcare systems.