Patient Information
The WVHIN enables your doctors to have more complete, up-to-date information about you. With the WVHIN you no longer have to remember what medications you are taking, the date of your last immunizations, the names of other providers you have seen, and other important information your treating doctor needs to know in order to choose a treatment plan that is best suited for your needs.
Below are examples of how the WVHIN may work to benefit you:
- Participating providers have access to prescribed medication and will know if the patient’s medicines would complicate medical procedures, as long as the patient allowed clinical information to be exchanged through WVHIN.
- If a patient is a participant in the WVHIN and is involved in an accident that leaves them unconscious, participating doctors have access to medical files that include allergies to medication, medical procedures and past medical problems. Access to important information could play a critical role in the patient’s treatment options and could potentially save their life.
How Can the WVHIN Benefit You?
- Reduce co-pays for duplicate testing and treatment of medical errors
- Receive improved quality of care due to your doctor having the most current information on you
- Your doctor can access end-of-life choice information on you
- Each time you visit a doctor, you do not have to retrieve your paper medical record and take it with you
- Reduce wait time for lab and radiology results due to faster transmission among providers
- Your doctor can access critical life-saving information on you (such as allergy information, medications you’re currently taking, blood type, etc.) during emergencies/situations where you may be unconscious
Patient Documents
Patient Notice
This document will be given to you if your doctor is participating in the WVHIN’s HIE. This document answers many questions you may have.
Opt-Out Form
This document will be given to you by your doctor if you decide you do not want your information exchanged through the WVHIN’s HIE. Additionally, if you have “opted-out” in the past and now want your information exchanged with other WVHIN participating doctors, please contact us.
Opt-Out Information
When you opt out of participation in the HIE, doctors and nurses will not be able to search for your health information through the HIE to use while treating you.
A Health Information Exchange, or HIE, is a way of sharing your health information among participating doctors’ offices, hospitals, care coordinators, labs, radiology centers, health plans, and other health care providers through secure, electronic means.
The purpose is so that each of your participating healthcare providers can have the benefit of the most recent information available from your other participating providers when taking care of you. When you opt out of participation in the HIE, doctors and nurses will not be able to search for your health information through the HIE to use while treating you.
Your physician or other treating providers will still be able to select the HIE as a way to receive your lab results, radiology reports, and other data sent directly to them that they may have previously received by fax, mail, or other electronic communications. Additionally, in accordance with the law, Public health reporting, such as the reporting of infectious diseases to public health officials, will still occur through the HIE after you decide to opt out. Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) information, as part of the West Virginia Controlled Substances Monitoring Program (CSMP), will continue to be available through the HIE to providers.
You have several options for opting out of the CRISP HIE; you can select one below.
- Via our secure website at connect.wvhin.org/optoutform
- Call 1.844.468.5755
- Email your completed form to gro.htlaehpsircnull@troppusnihvw
- Fax your completed form to 443.817.9587.
- Mail your completed form to:
WVHIN
7160 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 100
Columbia, MD 21046
Frequently Asked ENS Questions
As a patient and consumer of health care services, you may have questions about the sharing of your health information, electronic medical records and health information exchange. These questions and answers will help you understand the changing world of health care and how sharing your health information electronically between your doctors will result in better quality care for you. Many of the documents (i.e. Patient Notice, Opt-Out form, etc) discussed in the FAQs below are included in the Important Documents for Patients to Review section above.
Can I control who sees my information in WVHIN?
Yes, patients can choose not to make their data available in WVHIN. This is called opting-out. If you opt-out of WVHIN, none of your data will be shared with any healthcare provider that you see for your care. You cannot pick and choose which healthcare providers you want to see your data and which ones you don’t.
If I have opt-ed out, can I opt back into WVHIN?
Yes, you can opt-in to WVHIN at any time. Patients who want to opt back into WVHIN should call the Support Line at 844-468-5755. The patient will need to give the support team the same information they gave when they opted out.
Does WVHIN share my health information with employers?
No. WVHIN does not share any of your information with employers.
Can my information be seen in an emergency?
West Virginia law lets healthcare providers view all their healthcare information in an emergency.
The law says an emergency is:
· When your healthcare provider believes it is necessary to prevent a serious threat to the health or safety of others.
· When your healthcare provider believes it is necessary to prevent or respond to imminent and serious harm to your health.
If you opt out of WVHIN, your health information will not be shared in the case of an emergency
Is my information shared with doctors outside of West Virginia?
Yes. WVHIN partners with other regional Health Information Exchanges, and doctors in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware who have a treatment relationship with you can view your information through WVHIN.
Does WVHIN share information about my addiction treatment?
Federal rules say that an addiction treatment provider needs your consent before they share information about your addiction treatment. Information about substance use related to an emergency room visit is not covered by this law and may be shared without your okay unless you are opted out of WVHIN.
How do I know if my doctor participates with WVHIN?
Your doctor or healthcare provider must let you know if they share data with WVHIN or look at your information through WVHIN. This note is included in the Notice of Privacy Practices that you get when you check-in at a hospital or health care provider office. They will also have WVHIN materials in the waiting room.
You can see a list of hospitals and long-term care providers who share information with WVHIN here. (link ‘here’ to this page – https://wvhin.org/connected-providers/)
How far back will my online records go?
WVHIN began sharing information in 2010. Since then, more healthcare providers are sharing information with WVHIN. It is possible that you may have records from as long ago as 2010. Ask your healthcare provider when they started sending information to WVHIN and what types of information they sent.
What do I do if I think an unauthorized person viewed my records?
Contact WVHIN support at 844-468-5755 immediately, and we will investigate it. You can also talk to your doctor who participates with WVHIN.
Can I see the information WVHIN has about me?
At this time, the WVHIN is not able to provide access directly to patients or their representatives. The WVHIN is working to develop the appropriate administrative and technological infrastructure to allow for such access to the WVHIN.
What can I do if there is a mistake in the information WVHIN has about me?
If you believe there is a mistake in your medical record, you should talk to your doctor or health care provider. They created your medical record, and they are the only ones who can change it. You can contact WVHIN, and we can give you a list of health care providers who have shared information about you, but WVHIN cannot change your medical record
Do health insurance companies have access to my data?
Yes, your current health insurance company (or payor) CAN access your data via WVHIN for care coordination and management and for quality improvement purposes. Your insurance company CANNOT access your medical records via WVHIN for benefit or eligibility determination.
Do my providers know if I have opted-out?
No, currently WVHIN does not notify your providers if you have opted out of WVHIN. In the future, this may change, and your new providers may be notified if you have opted out (to improve their understanding of why there may be no information available about you via the network).
Can a person under the age of 18 opt-out of WVHIN?
In accordance with West Virginia law, any patient that can legally consent for health services can opt out of WVHIN. If a patient cannot legally consent to health services because they are a minor, the parent or guardian may opt out for the patient. You can find more information on how to opt out on this page (above). Note that patients are not able to opt out of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) or mandated public health reporting.