A WORD FROM JENN SEARLS:

Over the past several months, we’ve seen meaningful growth in how Connie is being used across Connecticut. In March alone, more than 10,000 users returned to use the system, contributing to a new high of 237,000 patient queries. 

These milestones are encouraging because they reflect increased adoption and signal something more important: providers are relying on shared data to support real decisions in patient care. As that reliance grows, so does our responsibility to ensure the right data is available for every patient, across every care setting—including behavioral health. Behavioral health providers coordinate care across multiple settings, but in many cases, they do not have timely access to the full picture of a patient’s care.  

Through conversations with our Patient and Family Advisory Council and behavioral health partners across the state, we know that consent management is a top priority. Behavioral health and substance use disorder (SUD) data can be very personal, and patients want the ability to decide who has access to that history. Providers want to honor those wishes while still being able to coordinate effectively with the rest of a patient’s care team. Sensitive data carries additional protections to ensure patient privacy, so exchanging that data in a timely and coordinated way, while honoring patient consent, can be challenging across systems.  

When the opportunity came to apply for the Behavioral Health Interoperability Pilot grant, we saw it as a chance to advance the work our partners cared about most. Connie was awarded one of only nine grants through the federal program, and this work gives us the opportunity to provide more timely access to sensitive health information by integrating consent with data exchange management more directly. This will make it easier for providers to capture and honor patient preferences while ensuring compliance with federal requirements.  

Connie’s tool will automatically flag a patient’s sensitive SUD information records so they can decide if it gets shared, with whom, or if it remains private. It also allows us to test how standardized behavioral health data can be exchanged in real-world settings, supporting more coordinated and informed care. 

Ultimately, the goal is not just to increase data sharing, but to do so in a way that maintains trust, reduces administrative burden, and improves outcomes for patients. 

We are grateful for the continued engagement of our providers and partners across Connecticut. As Connie continues to grow, we remain focused on building solutions that reflect the needs of the communities we serve. 

Thank you for your partnership, 

Jenn

UPCOMING WEBINAR FOR CONNECTED ORGS!

Join us for a LIVE webinar to learn what's new with Connie, and how to get the most 
out of your connection.

Hosted by a Connie Account Manager, this session will highlight new tools, features, and services, go over tips to maximize Connie data, and give a live Q&A to answer all questions Connie!



Whether you're newly connected or a long-time participant, this is a great opportunity to stay up to date and make sure your organization is leveraging all Connie has to offer!

REGISTER NOW

NEW IN POPULATION EXPLORER

Cervical cancer screening data will be available in Population Explorer this June, joining breast and colorectal cancer screenings in the Preventative Services filter. Additionally, Population Explorer now allows connected organizations to further customize their reports using a feature to select and display specific fields before exporting data. This new feature makes viewing tailored reports easier, allowing organizations to focus on what matters most to their patients.

EXPANDED ACCESS TO CARE PLANS

Connected organizations can now view Care Plans from PointClickCare (PCC) directly in the Clinical Notes section of the Connie portal for patients in Skilled Nursing or other facilities that use PCC as their EMR. This new feature facilitates streamlined access to critical patient information, supporting more coordinated care.

DENTAL CARE IS NOW INTEGRATED INTO PATIENT RECORDS

Dental care is becoming a more visible part of a patient’s overall health record, enabling their providers to understand the full picture of care. Instead of data being siloed or difficult to interpret, dental visits are now listed in the Encounters tab and display dental visits and the type of care received.

By viewing Medicaid Claims in the Encounters tab, healthcare providers can:

• Confirm whether a patient has recently visited a dentist
• Recommend that patient make an appointment with a dental provider if an oral health issue was discovered
• Verify the patient's visit to a dental professional after a referral

This feature is especially valuable for pediatric oral assessments, allowing clinicians to verify recent dental encounters if a concern was found.

Take a moment to explore these new features to see how they enhance the workflow at your organization! For this and other updates on Connie services, be sure to attend our quarterly webinars, check out Connie University, and follow us on social media!

If you have questions or would like to schedule a walkthrough, please feel free to reach out to the Connie team here: info@conniect.org

The Connie Blog is where we share how Connecticut’s Health Information Exchange comes to life!

Check out our latest posts for perspectives from the Connie team and special guests for insights and updates around data sharing, new initiatives to facilitate a more connected, patient-centered healthcare ecosystem, and takeaways from events. 

Dive into the latest posts!

• How Local Health Information Exchange Improves National Data Sharing Initiatives by Jenn Searls, MHA
• Connecting Data to Person-Centered Care in Connecticut by Heidi Wilson 
• Why Discharge Data Became a Clinical Priority for Us by Albert Villarin, MD 

CONNIE NEWS

Connie recently implemented the PIQXL Gateway, helping providers capture more complete and accurate patient data. 

By strengthening key information like race, ethnicity, and language, this effort supports better decision-making and continued progress toward health equity.  

Read the whole article here!

Connie has been named one of nine organizations to receive a federal ASTP/ONC pilot grant, focused on electronic consent management for behavioral health! The goal of the initiative is to simplify how access to sensitive patient data can be electronically facilitated while maintaining patient consent preferences and the highest privacy levels. 

Learn how Connie is advancing these efforts here.

It’s been a busy quarter for Connie! Our team was on the road, engaging at state and national levels and sharing how HIEs improve care coordination, enhance public health efforts, and support communities. 

Connie’s Director of Account Management, Amanda Crociata, attended the CPHA Annual Conference at the University of Saint Joseph, where she highlighted how Connie supports better patient care in real-world settings. The focus was on the value of having timely, secure patient information available using the Connie Portal to assist care teams in making more informed decisions. 

At the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition, Connie Executive Director, Jenn Searls, spoke on the crucial role of local HIEs like Connie in advancing federal interoperability and making care delivery strategies possible. 



Read more about this event on the Connie blog!

In a similar theme, HIE Services Director Heidi Wilson presented at the State HIT Connect Summit, focusing on how Connecticut is using data to support person-centered care in home and community-based services (HCBS) programs. The discussion centered on the challenges states face supporting care coordination across various providers that may be serving the same individual but often lack access to the same information. 

Read Heidi’s blog post about this event here!

In April, the Connie Patient Engagement Team attended the Mozaic Institute of Aging’s Senior Health & Resource Expo to connect with older adults and their families. While attending, they shared Connie’s services, highlighting access to personal health information through the Patient Connect Portal and how Connie helps providers coordinate care.

Connie isn’t only at events and conferences - we recently hosted a dynamic, in-person Patient Empowerment Strategic Plan meeting last quarter, bringing together diverse Connie stakeholders for a full day of facilitated groupwork and to set the foundation of Connie’s Patient Empowerment Strategy.

The Patient Empowerment Strategy plan is being developed with review and feedback from our Patient Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) and Connie Leadership, then incorporated into Connie’s Organizational Strategic Plan. The Patient Empowerment Plan outlines Connie's patient empowerment vision, activities, and evaluation efforts for the next 3 years.  

NEW PARTICIPANTS ARE JOINING CONNIE EVERY DAY!

We continue to connect hundreds of participating organizations (POs) that securely exchange data for millions of Connecticut patients through Connie. Recent go-lives include the State of Connecticut Veterans Affairs SNF, Central Connecticut Dermatology, Mercy Pediatrics, and the lab feed from Stamford Hospital! Visit the Connected Participating Organizations Dashboard to explore our growing network and the data being shared.

DID YOU KNOW..?

You can donate your digital spare change to Connie using RoundUp donations! These automatic, tax-deductible donations can be set up online here: https://www.roundup.org/nonprofit/ct/west-hartford/connie-ct-health-information-alliance-inc  

CHECK OUT OUR LATEST PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIALS

"One of my favorite features is the ability to view radiology images and reports instantly. Recently, a patient had been seen at the Hartford Healthcare ED, and I was able to pull up the discharge summary immediately while they were still in the exam room—something that wouldn’t have been possible before. They didn’t have to wait, and I didn’t have to chase down a copy."

Milos Tomic, MD | Advanced Pulmonary Care LLC

"Connie has been instrumental in making sure that

our patients return to services with us. Population Explorer allows us to have up to date information on our patients who are currently hospitalized or have visited the ED, and I can quickly pull up the related clinical documents and pass them on to their care team. We collaborate on the discharge plan, providing continuity of care, and resumption of care calls are smoother and made earlier. Our patients tell us that they feel cared for and relieved to know that we know where they are."

Robin Blechinger | Intake Coordinator, RVNA Health

We’re shining the spotlight on Traci Townsan, Integration Lead at Connie! 

Traci has just celebrated five years with Connie, and her impact across our connected organizations has been felt every step of the way. As our Integrations Lead, she guides healthcare organizations through the technical onboarding process with deep expertise in HIE interoperability and her genuine commitment to making every integration as seamless as possible. 

Traci’s combination of technical knowledge, paired with outstanding customer service, ensures that every organization joining Connie feels supported, confident, and set for success.  

We’re grateful for Traci for being a cornerstone of our team these past five years! 

YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

If you're a regular Connie user and would like to provide us with some feedback on our current services, we would love to hear from you! Please take 2 minutes to complete our survey below. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!