Health Information Exchange (HIE)
Health Information Exchange (HIE) is a way for your health care providers, hospitals, laboratories and organizations involved in your care coordination and payment to see your health records so that they can improve the quality of health care services they can provide to you. Signing the HIE Notification form allows providers where you received care or may receive care in the future, the ability to access your health care records through their computers without having to wait for faxes or paper charts to be sent from other clinics or provider offices. Allowing your health care providers access to your health records means that they will be more informed and able to make more appropriate decisions about your well-being and health care needs.
Why Should You Participate in the HIE?
It helps providers make more informed decisions about your health care: Providers use this information to see a full picture of your health. This may help your providers choose the appropriate tests and provide the care you need, avoid prescribing medications that may not work well together and avoid medications you may be allergic to.
It could save your life or the life of a family member: If you or a family member goes to the hospital or emergency room, your health records will tell your providers about your previous health visits. Having your records quickly can help the providers save your life. Your health records will tell them about your health problems, allergies to medicines, current medications, test results and previous procedures.
It could save costs and unnecessary tests: Your providers will be able to view the results of tests you may have had at other organizations. This information may prevent your doctors from ordering unnecessary tests or procedures. This may reduce the need for additional copays and deductible expenses.
It is private, secure and safe: Only authorized health care providers/organizations and professionals involved in your treatment, coordination of care, quality improvement and care management, can view your health records. Your health records are protected under federal and state privacy laws, and the access to, use and disclosure of such records complies with these laws. Your health records are shared through a secure network. This means they cannot be sent to the wrong email address, mailing address or sit on a fax machine. In addition, your health records are safe in case of a fire, flood or tornado.
Frequently Asked Questions
Access to your complete health record improves efficiency and quality of care.
Patients and providers will spend less time filling out the same paperwork again and again that slows down the process, adds cost and introduces greater chances for error.
Common issues, such as duplicate tests, misread prescriptions, and hours (or days) wasted waiting for records to be transferred from one health care provider to the next, will be reduced dramatically.
Better decision-making by health care providers at the front end, based on complete, accurate and timely patient information, can reduce the need for more - and increasingly expensive - health care in the future.
Health Information Networks (HIN) are under the same rules and restrictions that govern the safe and secure exchange of private health information as your health care provider. These systems are built in compliance with state and federal laws, with specific protocols and in a private, secure network that will help make your records safer than ever before.
SSM Health proudly participates in the following Health Information Networks:
Coordinated Care Health Network
eHealth Exchange (National Health Information Exchange)
Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network
Care Everywhere
How To Participate
Signing the HIE Notification form allows your providers to quickly access your health information electronically and will have a more complete view of your health history in order to provide you with the highest quality care. This will help your providers better meet your health care needs in a safe, effective, and timely manner.
If you have any additional questions about participating in the HIE, please contact your SSM Health Primary Care Provider (PCP).
To participate sign the HIE Notification form and mail it, with a copy of your government-issued ID, (i.e. driver’s license, passport, etc.) to:
SSM-DOCS1173 Corporate Lake Drive
St. Louis, MO 63132
Special Opt-In Guidelines for Veterans
The VA system allows you to proactively opt-in to sharing your health information through their system as well. For instructions on how to complete the VA’s opt-in process click one of the links below.
If you are already registered as a Level 2-Authenticated eBenefits User, click on the Log-In button in the upper right hand corner.
- Click on "Access my Documents"
- Scroll down to "Health" and look for Manage My Authorizations and Preferences (VLER)
- Click on "Manage My Authorizations and Preferences (VLER)"
- Click: "Share your Electronic Health Information with Non-VA Health Care Providers"
How Do I Not Participate?
The HIE Opt-Out form is a limited opt-out specific to Missouri Health Connection. If you choose to opt-out, your providers will not be able to access your health information electronically through the HIE to use while treating you. This is called "opting out." If you opt out, it is important that you understand that the inability to quickly view your health records could affect some of decisions your providers may make about your health care.
Note: If you want to opt-out of other HIEs, you must go directly to the HIE specific websites to complete the opt-out form for those exchanges.
Note: If you want to opt out of the Wisconsin HIE, you must go directly to the WISHIN website listed above, complete the opt-out form and send it back to WISHIN.
To opt-out sign the HIE Opt-Out form and mail it, with a copy of your government-issued ID, (i.e. driver’s license, passport, etc.) to:
SSM-DOCS
7980 Clayton Road, Suite 205
St. Louis, MO 63117