Health information exchange: answers to common questions and concerns
In an age of smartphones, tablets, apps, social media, and e-commerce, we expect maximum convenience, information flow, and efficiency on a daily basis—while at the same time expecting that our privacy will be protected. When it comes to information about our health care, statewide health information exchanges like the PA Patient & Provider Network, or P3N, and their connected health information organizations (HIO) try to maximize the free flow of patient clinical data while minimizing privacy risks.
In an age of smartphones, tablets, apps, social media, and e-commerce, we expect maximum convenience, information flow, and efficiency on a daily basis—while at the same time expecting that our privacy will be protected. When it comes to information about our health care, statewide health information exchanges like the PA Patient & Provider Network, or P3N, and their connected health information organizations (HIO) try to maximize the free flow of patient clinical data while minimizing privacy risks.
In my last blog post [insert link], I explained how HIOs work. In this post, I answer some common questions about them.
What about the security of my information? Protection of health information is governed by federal and state privacy laws and regulations. The P3N, its connected HIOs, and their connected providers must follow those laws and regulations, and they must implement appropriate health information technology to assure that your health information is seen only by those individuals who need to see it as part of your healthcare.
Your health information is collected and electronically stored by your healthcare provider—as it always has been—and no health information is stored within the P3N itself. To use a travel analogy, the P3N is the highway, not the truck—or the warehouse.
Must I share my health information in the P3N? To facilitate your healthcare, the Pennsylvania law that created the P3N says that health information about patients is automatically available to be shared between P3N-connected providers. However, you may opt out of the P3N—and opt back in—at any time. The Authority is required by law to maintain the statewide consent registry for patients' opt-out or opt-back-in choices.
Who is in the P3N? The P3N is in its early stages. St. Luke's University Health Network's eVantageHealth HIO connected in 2014. HealthShare Exchange of Southeastern Pennsylvania is expected to connect this year, as are HIOs in central and western Pennsylvania. The goal is to reach a critical mass of participation that connects all areas of the state and brings to fruition the promise of true statewide electronic health information exchange.
How can my healthcare provider connect to the P3N? To participate in the P3N, your healthcare provider must be connected to an HIO that is certified by the Pennsylvania eHealth Partnership Authority and connected to the P3N. Providers can contact the Authority to be connected with an HIO in their area.
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Alexandra Goss is executive director of the Pennsylvania eHealth Partnership Authority.
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