Health IT, Interoperability Collaborative MAeHC Dissolves After 15 Years

The Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative (MAeHC) has been dissolved after 15 years of health IT standards development and interoperability efforts.

The collaborative distributed its remaining assets to six local public charities with goals that align with MAeHC’s mission of improving the quality and safety of care delivery across the Commonwealth using widespread EHR implementation and health IT standards development.

“Over the past 15 years, MAeHC, and its former president and CEO, Micky Tripathi MPP, PhD, who is currently the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (HIT) at the US Department of Health and Human Services, stood at the forefront of interoperability, standards development, and HIT policy, guiding organizations in implementation and meaningful use of technology,” Lawrence Garber, MD, chairman of the board of MAeHC, said in a public statement.

“Now, with our work completed, and our mission fulfilled, it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation of HIT innovators,” Garber continued.

Before dissolving, MAeHC sold certain assets to Arcadia, a population health management organization. MAeHC also assigned the New England Healthcare Exchange Network, Inc. (NEHEN) contract to the Massachusetts Health Data Consortium (MHDC), an allied non-profit.

Then, to determine where the remaining funds would go, MAeHC formed a Grant Program Selection Subcommittee to conduct an RFP process. Based upon a recommendation from the subcommittee, the MAeHC Board selected the following six grantees:

• Athol Memorial Hospital plans to implement and evaluate school-based telehealth in rural school districts.
• Boston HealthNet aims to increase patient engagement in at-home self-monitoring. More specifically, the care organization plans to boost prescription rates of home monitoring devices to treat acute COVID-19-positive patients and patients with chronic health conditions.
• East Boston Neighborhood Health Center plans integrate tele-monitoring devices to provide elderly patients and those with chronic conditions more patient-centered at-home care.
• Fenway Community Health Center aims to boost healthcare access and improve outcomes, particularly among the LGBTQIA+ community.
• Greater Lawrence Family Health Center plans to make system-wide care delivery changes with the integration of new health IT.
• Massachusetts Health Data Consortium aims to develop, test, and complete a documented prototype for electronic prior authorization integrated within the EHR for increased interoperability.

“These organizations are all doing amazing work in their local communities and across the healthcare continuum, and we look forward to seeing how our grants support their unique projects and missions,” Christopher Matarazzo, MAeHC president and CEO, noted.

“They will become part of the MAeHC story and its legacy, along with our former clients and employees, who I know will continue to play a role in advancing the quality and performance of HIT for years to come,” Matarazzo continued.