A Grand Junction-based organization is celebrating 20 years of connecting health care providers and coordinating care in Western Colorado.

Quality Health Network was founded in 2004 by five health care partners to share health care information and coordinate patient care. Today, QHN serves as a health information exchange for all the hospitals and 90 percent of providers in a region spreading across 30,000 square miles.

“Being one of the first HIEs in the nation meant we had to trail blaze through technology, privacy, security and other hurdles to protect patient information while reducing duplication and sharing it with providers who needed it to deliver high-quality care,” said Marc Lassaux, executive director and chief operating officer of QHN. “We wanted to help improve the whole health for people in western Colorado, and we quickly learned that to be successful, we had to do it together as close partners with care organizations.”

In addition to a health information exchange, QHN launched in 2020 a community resource network, a social information exchange to better coordinate services among nearly 600 organizations.

“The future of QHN is bright as the organization evolves to connect even more providers and better support whole person care,” said Dr. Greg Reicks, chairman of the QHN board.

QHN plans to mark its 20th year in operation during its annual Healthier Together Summit set for April 25 at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction.

For more information about QHN, visit the website located at www.qualityhealthnetwork.org.