Harmony Healthcare IT
Harmonizing Legacy Data with Active Archiving

Harmony Healthcare IT Launches Records Release Service for Healthcare Facilities Facing Closure or M&A

Wednesday, May 03, 2023

SOUTH BEND, IND.: Harmony Healthcare IT, a first-to-market innovator of health data management solutions, today announced a new Records Release service that allows healthcare providers (or their trustees) to confidently outsource release of information responsibilities. Outsourcing medical or employee records release is often a necessary option for healthcare facilities facing department/facility closure or merger and acquisition (M&A). This new service offering supports an industry need for lifecycle data solutions as it has been reported rural hospitals are at risk of shutting down and that a steady consolidation of health systems through M&A is expected to continue through 2030.

According to state guidelines, the rules set by the Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act), patient records must remain accessible after closure or M&A. While most healthcare records must be retained for a minimum of six years to meet HIPAA regulations, other factors can impact medical record retention periods such as whether the patient is a minor or if they were treated for a specific medical condition (e.g., behavioral health or oncology).

“Working through records management when a healthcare facility closes or gets acquired can be complex,” said Jon Grenier, MPA, Senior Director of Product Strategy at Harmony Healthcare IT. “The long-term plan for personally identifiable information requires an experienced and knowledgeable coordinator to manage the statutory requirements once a medical facility will no longer handle the records itself.”

The Harmony Healthcare IT team is in a unique position to offer this Records Release service with its broad experience of working with more than 550 clinical and financial software brands for data migration or archival from electronic medical record, practice management, and human resource software. This new offering supports the future release of information that may be needed for patient care, litigation, insurance audits, workers’ compensation, validation of employment, and other reasons. While each hospital or medical practice closure or acquisition is unique, generally, the Harmony Healthcare IT Records Release services will include:

• Data extraction from legacy systems (clinical, financial, or administrative)

• Discrete data storage in an active archive with release of information workflows

• A web landing page for requestors to learn about the record release process

• Secure information provision to requestors such as patients, employers, and payers

• A detailed audit trail of the record release process with date and time stamping

The Harmony Healthcare IT team is equipped to support healthcare delivery organizations to ensure there is a plan to keep patient, employee, and other business records secure, accessible, and deliverable to requestors.

Harmony Healthcare IT adds Kelly Hahaj as VP of Corporate Development

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Hahaj brings significant healthcare IT leadership experience in health information exchange, clinical systems and data interoperability.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. / -- Harmony Healthcare IT announced the appointment of Kelly Hahaj as its VP of Corporate Development. In this role, Hahaj is responsible for leading current business efforts as well as identifying and evaluating opportunities for strategic partnerships to drive continued expansion. Hahaj's deep healthcare IT experience as a leader in health information exchange, clinical systems and data interoperability will be instrumental to these efforts.

"As we continue to expand our offerings with innovative data agility solutions that improve interoperability, Kelly's strategic insights and deep experience in running a health information exchange will strengthen our efforts," said Tom Liddell, CEO of Harmony Healthcare IT. "We are thrilled to have Kelly onboard and look forward to her corporate development stewardship that will deliver long-term success for our partners."

Hahaj brings more than 30 years of healthcare technology management experience to this role. Through several leadership roles at the Michiana Health Information Network (MHIN), including CEO, Hahaj helped the organization grow and provide data solutions for healthcare providers. In 2020, she led MHIN through a consolidation with Indiana Health Information Exchange (IHIE) to become a unified HIE for Indiana. She served as VP Consolidation and VP Implementations and Data at IHIE. In previous roles, she held leadership positions with SMI, Medical Manager Corp (MMC) and WebMD.

"As someone who is passionate about removing the barriers that impede medical record exchange, I have long admired the first-to-market, innovative health data solutions pioneered by the Harmony Healthcare IT team," said Hahaj. "I am excited to join this amazing team that is committed to improving healthcare outcomes by providing seamless access to the complete, historical patient narrative."

About Harmony Healthcare IT – Harmony Healthcare IT is a data management firm that moves and stores patient, employee, and business records for healthcare organizations. Headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, the company's mission is to preserve vital information that will strengthen healthcare and improve lives. Harmony Healthcare IT employs experts in data extraction, migration, retention, interoperability, and analytics to provide its clients with trusted solutions. Working with over 550 unique legacy software brands, Harmony Healthcare IT — with its offering, HealthData Platform™ — provides healthcare delivery organizations with easy access to historical records.