Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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What is a Health Information Exchange (HIE)?

A health information exchange (HIE) is technology that allows healthcare information to pass electronically across organizations within a particular region or community.  Clear and strict state and federal guidelines govern how the information can be exchanged, viewed, and used.  The goal of the HIE is to make the information available when and where it is needed.  STHLNY is the regional health information organization (RHIO) that governs the HIE in central NY, and currently serves a six-county area – Broome, Tioga, Chenango, Delaware, Cayuga, and Cortland with expansion to additional NY counties expected in the coming years . For more details, click here.

How does an HIE improve the quality of healthcare?

Through the HIE, doctors and hospitals have the most recent and complete healthcare records available when and where they need it.  Having this information can improve the continuity of care for patients,  particularly for those with multiple conditions and several different providers.  In addition, the HIE can improve the quality of emergency care when the attending caregiver has immediate access to that patient's medical history.

Having the most accurate records can help avoid medical errors, such as duplicate testing and adverse drug interactions. Improved communication through emails and automatic reminders (e.g., for appointments and medications) can keep both patient and caregiver "on track" with medications, procedure preparation, and follow up plans.

The HIE can save time and money too, with improved billing accuracy, reduced paper use and storage, and the ability to use the HIE information to complete some of the paperwork that patients need to sign.

Can patients see their own records?

The HIE  offers an added benefit for patients who want to be more involved with their own care.  Through a "patient portal", consumers can better manage their own healthcare by reviewing their records, adding information, requesting reports, and communicating with their healthcare providers.

What about privacy?

Federal and state laws strictly protect the privacy and confidentiality of health information. New York State requires STHL and everyone that accesses information through STHL to follow the same rules to protect the privacy and security of records shared through this system.  Only doctors, nurses, and their staff who are involved in the healthcare of that patient are allowed to access his or her health records, and only after the patient has signed a consent form authorizing it.  Safeguards like passwords and encryption also keep records from being accessed without proper permission.

Patients can request a report of who has accessed their records.  If unauthorized access does occur, STHLNY is required to investigate, remediate, report it to everyone affected, and take all steps necessary to ensure that such access does not happen again.

Which providers are participating in STHLNY?

Any hospital, clinic, or private practice in the central NY region is eligible to participate in the STHLNY HIE.  The list of participating providers is expected to expand gradually until every doctor and healthcare facility is "linked in" and able to share records.  Eventually, all of New York State and, one day, every state, will probably be connected to the HIE.  Click here to see the current list of participants.  

What information is available?

With the initial launch of the HIE  in the Fall of 2009, the information available will include:
patient contact information, basic demographics (like height, weight, blood type), medical and family history, visits, clinical documents, diagnoses, procedures, allergies, medications, radiology images, and emergency contacts.  Only information available from the participating providers' own electronic medical records will be included, so care received "out of the area" or information that has not been entered into that a participating provider's records will not be deposited into the HIE.

How does someone sign up?

To authorize providers to access to their records, patients must sign a consent form and submit it to their doctor, hospital, or directly to STHL.  This form will be available from one of the participating hospitals or provider's offices or  click here to print the form in advance.