A Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO, pronounced rio), also called a Health Information Exchange Organization, is a multistakeholder organization created to facilitate a health information exchange (HIE) – the transfer of healthcare information electronically across organizations – among stakeholders of that region's healthcare system. The ultimate objective is to improve the safety, quality, and efficiency of healthcare as well as access to healthcare through the efficient application of health information technology. RHIOs are also intended to support secondary use of clinical data for research as well as institution/provider quality assessment and improvement.[1] RHIO stakeholders include smaller clinics, hospitals, medical societies, major employers and payers.
RHIOs are intended to be key to the proposed US Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN).[2][failed verification]