Merge Healthcare and MedAllies are collaborating to improve interoperability for almost 300,000 physicians, the companies announced this week.

MedAllies is a New York-based health information service provider that helps healthcare organizations exchange patient information online, a service that is not dependent on any specific electronic health record. Through this new partnership, MedAllies will use Merge’s iConnect Network Services technology to improve image ordering and results delivery for all of the company’s users.

By using this iConnect Network Services technology, companies who have still been relying on handwritten notes and fax machines will be able to move forward and catch up with other competitors by embracing more modern methods of placing orders and receiving study results.

“The importance of this collaboration cannot be overstated,” A. John Blair, III, MD, MedAllies chief executive officer, said in a statement. ”When it comes to improving healthcare, coordinating care and lowering costs, a missing critical component has been interoperability among imaging providers and referring physicians. By working with Merge, MedAllies will be advancing interoperability on a grand scale.”

“Through iConnect Network Services, Merge Healthcare provides the infrastructure needed to drive a dramatic shift to automated image ordering and results delivery,” Justin Dearborn, Merge chief executive officer, said in the statement. “The collaboration between Merge and MedAllies aims to ensure that providers connected through the MedAllies network can simplify referral management and achieve significant efficiencies.”

Back in November, Merge announced agreements with eviCore and AIM Specialty Health, and both also involved the iConnect Network Services technology.

In October, Merge was acquired by IBM for $1 billion. Kyu Rhee, MD, IBM chief health officer, spoke with RadiologyBusiness.com about the deal.