An Introduction to WISHIN

Powering Statewide Health Data Exchange for Better Care

Wisconsin’s Trusted Leader in Health Information Exchange 

Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network, Inc. (WISHIN) is a Wisconsin-based independent not-for-profit organization that was founded by the Wisconsin Hospital Association, the Wisconsin Medical Society, the Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO) and the Wisconsin Collaborative for Health Care Quality (WCHQ).

WISHIN functions as the state-designated entity for health information exchange (HIE) in Wisconsin, achieving this designation under 2009 Wisconsin Act 274 – Chapter 153.

WISHIN exists to securely exchange health and whole-person data in accordance with HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Rule across the healthcare delivery system in Wisconsin and bordering states regardless of an organization’s medical record system or any other system. WISHIN connects more than 2,200 sites of care, including more than 80% of Wisconsin hospitals. WISHIN also connects integrated and independent clinics, public health agencies, post-acute facilities, correctional facilities, pharmacies and payors.

From EHR to Integration: WISHIN Bridges the Gaps in Patient Data Sharing

While electronic health records (EHRs) have made it easier for providers within the same organization or on similar systems to share patient information, sharing patient information across systems and locations can be a challenge. WISHIN meets this challenge by providing a host of services for its participants:

• WISHIN Pulse community health record (CHR) serves as a longitudinal patient record, available through a stand-alone web portal or integrated in EHR/EMR workflow.  WISHIN Pulse informs caregivers, providers, payors, etc. about the current health and history of patients with real-time, consolidated patient information across all participating organizations. Data available in WISHIN Pulse includes: Admit, Discharge and Transfer (ADT) information, H&Ps, clinical notes, laboratory and pathology results, radiology reports, Care Summaries (CCDAs), immunization data, allergies, medication reconciliations, pharmacy-fill data and more.  
• Integration with the Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (ePDMP).
• Integration with the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR).
• Registry connection to Public Health Syndromic Surveillance (PHSS).
• WISHIN Direct+ enables secure, HIPAA-compliant provider-to-provider communication through Direct Secure Messaging. This highly secure email system allows healthcare organizations to exchange patient information seamlessly, even across disparate systems. 
• WISHIN Notifications (in partnership with Bamboo Health) provides real-time notifications of patient Emergency Department visits, inpatient admissions, observations or discharges across the WISHIN and national Bamboo Health network.

Other Services

NCQA-Validated Data Stream 

WISHIN has earned the Validated Data Stream designation in the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Data Aggregator Validation (DAV) program. The DAV designation from NCQA means that health plans can use data from the WISHIN system as standard supplemental data in their HEDIS® process, eliminating the manual chart chase and clinical data abstraction.  

Seamless National Connectivity 

WISHIN is connected to the eHealth Exchange, a bi-directional national data exchange that extends the WISHIN network across all nationally connected healthcare organizations including the Veterans Administration, DoD and others. Through this connection, WISHIN is your on-ramp to national data exchange.

One Sign-On for Patient Data Access 

Single Sign-On (SSO): Integration of the WISHIN Pulse portal into a provider’s EHR eliminates the need for providers to go outside their existing EHR to access the data in WISHIN Pulse. Integration automates the sharing of user login credentials and patient demographic information, eliminating extra “clicks.” This eliminates the need to log in to each application separately.  Centralized authentication reduces the attack surface and simplifies security monitoring.

Secure, Automated Access to Patient Records 

Query and Retrieve allows participants to request from WISHIN continuity of care documents (CCDAs) in an automated, secure, and seamless way. The documents a participant receives can be ingested into their EHR, EMR, care management system, etc.