by Nick Delgado

Guam - Guam successfully launched the first phase of the Health Information Exchange Network today. The system allows for timely medical care for residents. Governor's chief information technology officer Ed Cruz says it ensures critical health information is available to all healthcare providers throughout the island.

He said, "Today using the direct project they can send that securely through secure messaging, so Guam has implemented a secure portal where healthcare providers can login into and exchange securely labs, charts, radiology, care summaries, etc. via the Internet."

The HIE was funded through a $1.6 million health and human services grant. Cruz says the next step is to ensure all healthcare providers have electronic records, and then they will begin linking the service throughout the region and even the U.S. for patients needing off-island treatment.