Niagara Hospice has adopted a new information technology service called DIRECT Secure Messaging that allows the rapid transfer of patient referrals and medical records. The communication service equips health care facilities with the ability to efficiently send clinical data from their Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system to Niagara Hospice’s EMR system without having to print or fax any documents. DIRECT will save a significant amount of time and effort for providers who are referring patients.