1) What is georgiahealthinfo.gov?
Georgiahealthinfo.gov is a Web site that provides detailed information on health care providers and services in the state. The site enables citizens to research where to get the best medical and prescription services they can afford closest to them, and find out more about topics of interest. Georgiahealthinfo.gov is made possible by the Georgia Department of Community Health’s Office of Health Information Technology and Transparency (HITT).

2) How did Georgia’s Web site initiative begin?
Immediately following President Bush’s Executive Order in August, which directed federal agencies to increase health care transparency, Governor Perdue expressed public support for the initiative in Georgia, and pointed to actions already taken in the state to accomplish similar goals. In October 2006, Governor Perdue issued an executive order creating the Health Information Technology and Transparency (HITT) Advisory Board. The board advises the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) on the best practices for encouraging the use of electronic health records and establishing a statewide strategy to enable health information to be readily available and transparent.

3) What information can consumers find on georgiahealthinfo.gov?
The site content enables citizens to research where to get the best medical and prescription services they can afford in their communities, and find out more about topics of interest. The site provides answers to the 7 commonly asked questions about health care: how, what, who, which, when, where and why:

• How can I improve my or my families’ health, prevent illness and manage their conditions?
• What is a particular condition or illness, what caused it and what can be done to prevent or treat it?
• Which health professionals and facilities provide services related to my needs and where are they located?
• Who provides the services that I need based on quality, cost and availability in my community?
• When preparing for episodes of care, what additional services will I need to arrange for example home care, rehab therapy, medical equipment, etc.?
• Why is health information technology like electronic health records and e-Prescribing important and why is information privacy and security critical?

4) Where does the information on georgiahealthinfo.gov come from?
Click here to view a comprehensive list of Partners.

5) Does the site have a user guide to help me navigate it more efficiently?
Yes. Log in to the site and look at “More Articles” on the Home Page to downloading the “Online User Guide.”

6) What are electronic health records?
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are computerized versions of peoples’ health information. If doctors have access to this information, they can instantly see citizens’ medical history, including their current and past medications, any allergies, test results or surgeries they might have had.

7) I hear a lot about security and privacy of electronic health records these days. Does the site have information on those topics?
Yes. People can learn much more about the security and privacy of electronic health records by logging on to georgiahealthinfo.gov and clicking the Health Information Security and Privacy box on the home page. There are educational tools which explain the safety of EHRs, the priority of preserving the confidentiality of your personal health information and the security features designed to protect their information.

8) What type of unbiased health information is on georgiahealthinfo.gov?
Unlike other health information Web sites, our site will not market facilities, specific providers, or industry. Our only goal is to empower Georgians with information to guide their health decisions. Consumers will no longer have to mill through hundreds of Web sites to find local health care information. Our site will be that one-stop shop for them to find information on local providers including quality rankings, services, hours of services, and even directions. It contains health information from various local, regional, and national sources that have been reviewed and endorsed by accredited and trusted health care sources.

9) How did the Georgia Department of Community Health decide which information should be included on georgiahealthinfo.gov ?
The Department of Community Health (DCH) conducted a series of community forums across the state to gather consumer input on the development and content of the Web site. This feedback coupled with recommendations from a health care provider advisory group has helped us shape the content of the Web site. The Web site currently has a pop-up survey designed to provide DCH with direct feedback from users. Direct feedback from Medicaid beneficiaries was also gathered from a usability study conducted in January 2009.