Patient Information

• How is the Rochester RHIO different from Google’s personal health record or Microsoft’s Health Vault?
• The Rochester RHIO is in no way related to the Google health profile or other public-access networks like Microsoft Health Vault. Rochester RHIO is a clinical network used only by authorized medical providers to improve patient care. The privacy of patient information is protected by the Health Insurance Portability Act (HIPAA) and state privacy regulations, as well as the most advanced information safeguards available. Additionally, patients who participate in Rochester RHIO can receive a record of every viewer who has accessed their information.
  
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• What is Rochester RHIO?
• The Greater Rochester Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) is a new health information exchange. The exchange will help health care providers throughout the area to serve patients better by sharing certain medical information electronically including lab results, radiology results and medication history.
  
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• Why do we need a RHIO?
• Rochester RHIO will improve patient care and in a medical emergency, the RHIO can literally save lives. Your doctors can make more informed decisions about your care and treatment with accurate, up to date information. Additionally, RHIO makes it easier to get second opinions, reduces the risk of adverse drug reactions, and minimizes errors caused by hard-to-read handwriting and transcriptions. By allowing providers to work more efficiently, the RHIO can help moderate the growing cost of health care.
  
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• Who created the RHIO?
• The state and federal government are promoting the creation of RHIOs in a movement toward national standards for secure electronic exchange of health information. The Rochester RHIO is one of about 300 in development. It is being developed by and for doctors, hospital systems, health insurers and privacy officers in the nine-county Greater Rochester area. Rochester RHIO was formed in August of 2006 with a grant from the NYS Health Department and matching grants from local businesses and health providers.
  
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• How will electronic prescription ordering (eRx) work?
• If your doctor uses this feature, instead of writing a paper “scrip” or phoning your pharmacy, the doctor or nurse types the order into a secure digital ordering form. The ordering software provides a warning if the dosage appears wrong, if there may be an adverse reaction with other drugs you are taking, or other potential problems. The order is then sent electronically to the participating pharmacy of your choice.
  
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• Who will be able to access my personal health information using Rochester RHIO?
• The federal and state rules protecting privacy and personal control of medical information aren’t changing. Most patients currently allow medical professionals to exchange radiology and lab test results, prescription and other information as a routine part of their care. Today, such information is already shared via postal mail, fax machines, and phone calls. The RHIO will allow it to be exchanged faster and more efficiently using a secure online exchange. Patients will choose whether to participate in the RHIO.
  
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• What if I don’t want my medical information available through the RHIO?
• Patients can choose not to have their information shared electronically via the RHIO. For most people, this information is already being shared by phone, fax or hard-copy as part of their patient care. It is important to note that by not participating in the RHIO it will not change the care you receive from your physician.
  
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• Why is the patient consent form so broad, with mental health and HIV information included, when the information to be shared as described in the patient brochure looks so limited?
• The lab tests, radiology reports, medication details and hospital reports needed by your physician may include references to this type of protected health information. That’s important, because physicians need to know all the medicines you are taking and conditions that may affect your treatment.
  
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• What if I want to exclude a certain lab test or medical procedure from the exchange or chose to pay out of pocket for a given procedure so my insurance company won't know about it?
• The RHIO is not set up to exclude specific visits from the health information exchange. If you want to prevent all your health care providers from knowing about a specific medical event you may want to consider not participating in the RHIO.
  
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• The consent form refers to health care operations and disease management programs. What are these?
• Health care operations refer to all the service functions related to patient care, including general administration, case management, quality assessment and improvement programs, and medical reviews. Disease management is a system of coordinated health care communications and recommendations to help patients care for themselves.
  
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• Won’t the RHIO be a prime target for identity thieves and hackers?
• The Rochester RHIO does not create a centralized database of patient information, just a secure way to exchange information electronically between health care providers. The RHIO‘s technology offers new tools for patient privacy that protect against unauthorized use of the exchange. The patient information being exchanged will remain protected at the hospital or doctor’s office or pharmacy, where it is now.
  
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• Aren’t paper records safer than sharing information electronically?
• Unauthorized access to paper records is a frequently reported problem. For instance, in the current system, when one provider wants to share test results with another provider, that information is typically faxed to the second provider’s office. Any number of office staffers has access to that fax and there may be no record of who actually sees it, reviews it or files it. It’s doubtful that the hard-copy health information being mailed, faxed or phoned between health care providers is more secure than electronic exchange. It’s certain that electronic sharing will be faster and more efficient, with less chance of mistakes than handwritten orders and rushed conversations can create. Further, RHIO provides the ability to track each person who views, reviews and files the results. In this way, the RHIO offers far greater privacy protection than the current system.
  
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• What security will there be to prevent unauthorized access to health information?
• The RHIO will employ role-based security with the most advanced information safeguards available. Encryption, password protection, the ability to track every viewer and other safeguards protect against unauthorized use of the exchange. The precautions have been reviewed by a panel of HIPAA compliance officers from hospitals in the region, as well as regional and national information technology experts.
  
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• Will my doctor or hospital be required to take part in the RHIO?
• Not immediately, but in the future it appears likely that the federal government will require electronic health information as part of the Medicare and Medicaid insurance programs. Most hospitals and many physician practices today share information electronically over private Intranet networks. The RHIO will extend sharing to other health care providers over secure Internet connections. Providers won’t be forced to participate, but the Rochester medical community has a long tradition of working cooperatively to better serve patients.
  
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• When will the RHIO start the electronic information exchange?
• RHIO working groups are planning a phased roll-out, a pilot program began in 2007 that included a small number of hospitals, physician practices and other participants. In 2008, it expects to have the health providers across our nine-county region able to order prescriptions, provide test results and share radiology reports electronically. Information that is especially useful in emergencies, such as food or medicine allergies, also can be added. The group is also working on electronic discharge information, which will reduce the paperwork and time delays that occur when patients move from the hospital to a rehab center or nursing facility.
  
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• How much will all of this cost, and who’s paying for it?
• The Rochester RHIO was created with a $4.4 million state grant and $1.9 million in funds from local businesses, hospitals and health insurers. In 2008, the RHIO was awarded $12.8 million from New York State to expand the health information exchange. This funding will allow RHIO to accomplish its initial objectives. Long-term funding needs and sources are not set, but the RHIO is expected to create cost savings that will more than cover ongoing expenses.
  
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• Who’s protecting the privacy of health information shared by the RHIO?
• A panel comprised of the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliance officers from hospitals in the nine-county region is ensuring that patient privacy is protected. Working groups of other health care professionals are developing the recommendations for each RHIO function – lab tests, electronic prescribing and radiology results. The HIPAA compliance panel will review all of these projects. Its sole purpose is to ensure that the RHIO’s electronic exchange conforms to laws and safeguards that protect patient privacy.
  
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• What area is being served by the Rochester RHIO? Who runs it?
• The Rochester RHIO serves a nine-county region in the Finger Lakes area – Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates Counties. Its board is comprised of eleven health professionals and business people who represent the organizations that contributed start-up funding. The executive director is Ted Kremer, a professional in health information technology with a master’s degree in public health from Yale University.
  
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• What if I still have questions?
• You can send an e-mail to info@grrhio.org, or phone the Rochester RHIO answer line:
  Toll free: 877.865.RHIO (7446)
  Rochester area: 585.410.6800
  Fax: 585.410.6801
  
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