About Us

The St. Louis Integrated Health Network (IHN) is a partnership of primary and specialty medical care providers in the St. Louis region. The goal of the IHN is to ensure access to health care for uninsured and underinsured children and adults through increased integration and coordination of a safety net for health care.  IHN providers serve 200,000 individuals in the St. Louis region each year for primary care through more than 400,000 encounters.

The IHN was formed in 2003 in response to federal and local initiatives. The United States government promotes the development of such networks to integrate and coordinate safety net health care through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Early in 2003, the St. Louis Regional Health Commission (RHC) recommended that existing health care providers in the St. Louis region form a permanent regional network to integrate and coordinate services to better serve our citizens.

The IHN board of directors is made up of the chief executive officers of the region's major primary and specialty care providers serving the uninsured and underinsured.  Both the Missouri Primary Care Association and the St. Louis Regional Health Commission serve as technical advisors to the IHN.

Examples of current IHN initiatives include:

• Health Education and Literacy Program (HELP) – Health coaches assist patients with system navigation and health literacy in health centers and community settings.
• Breast Cancer Referral Improvement – The Breast Cancer Referral Initiative Workgroup is charged with identifying opportunities for improving referral processes for patients in need of breast cancer treatment.
• Network Master Patient Index (NMPI) - The NMPI Steering Committee and Planning Group lead efforts for the implementation of the NMPI health information exchange. The NMPI will improve patient care by enabling the secure exchange of electronic patient health information across community health centers and hospital emergency departments in the region.  
• Community Referral Coordinator Program – IHN referral coordinators in partner emergency departments connect non-emergent patients with a health care home and primary care appointment.