Founded in 1994, the Arizona Health Information Network (AZHIN) aimed to revolutionize network connectivity for hospitals, academic programs, and rural healthcare providers across Arizona. The initiative replaced traditional methods of communication (physical travel, mail, and faxing) with the emerging power of the internet.
AZHIN’s plan was to create statewide equity in resource access. By connecting members to the Arizona Health Sciences Library’s collection and other resources, the network played a crucial role in supporting teaching hospitals and training residents. This pioneering work began with dial-up internet access.
An NSF grant allowed AZHIN to purchase a multi-user Unix computer and terminal server, housed at the Arizona Health Sciences Library. A bank of eight 14.4-kbps dial-in modems and an 800 number, supported by AHSL, enabled remote users to access resources.
The next step was educating participants on how to use the internet for information access, electronic communication, and education. Health sciences educators, researchers, healthcare providers, students, and continuing education learners gained skills that directly improved healthcare and health sciences education across the state.
The teaching hospitals affiliated with the University of Arizona College of Medicine that joined the connectivity project included:
Good Samaritan (now Banner Hospital)
St. Joseph’s Hospital
Maricopa Medical Center (Phoenix)
Tucson Medical Center
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Tucson)
U.S. Indian Health Service Hospital (Sells, Arizona)
Also participating were the Arizona Area Health Education Centers (AzAHEC), headquartered at the UA College of Medicine in Tucson. The five centers were located in:
Nogales
Flagstaff
Phoenix
Yuma
Globe
These centers provided continuing education for health professionals and rural training sites for health sciences students.
Over thirty years ago, AZHIN began with an idea: healthcare educational institutions and hospitals across Arizona could connect with one another to build equity in access to health information.
We achieved that vision through:
Innovation
Leveraging collective buying power
Sharing knowledge and expertise
Adapting to change
We took chances. We learned. And most of all, we stuck together.
Today, we continue to face new challenges. But AZHIN remains strong. We bring ideas to the table and explore how those ideas can shape the future of the consortium. That is what we do.