A team of health care leaders in the Hudson Valley

The Hudson Valley Initiative arose organically from ideas generated by actively engaged health care leaders. Three local organizations—Taconic IPA, Taconic Health Information Network and Community (THINC), and MedAllies--are working to not only introduce greater health care quality in the community, but also to support physicians as they transform their practices, engage insurance plans to support innovation, and evaluate the effectiveness of new care models through research.

THINC is the not-for-profit convening organization that defines and sponsors research to advance improved patient care delivery models using health information technology; structures and implements pay-for-performance criteria associated with physician practice quality initiatives; and governs the region’s secure health Information exchange network. Taconic IPA’s influence among providers infuses a culture to support practice transformation and improve the quality of care for the community. MedAllies  is the health information services provider that facilitates physician practice redesign to improve efficiency and effectiveness of health care through health information technology, and operates the technical backbone for health information exchange.   

As a foundational tool for quality improvement and measurement, we assist physician practices in the adoption and use of electronic health records (EHRs).  Our success in this arena has been unqualified; since 2007, we have implemented more than 600 EHRs for an overall EHR adoption rate of 37 percent of physicians (43 percent among primary care doctors).  We emphasize implementation, training and ongoing support for total practice transformation using EHRs as a tool. It's important to note that we support implementation among practices of all sizes, with particular emphasis on small practices and providers in rural settings.

Transforming practices for better quality

Next Steps