Health Information Exchanges
What is the HIE?
Health Information Exchanges involve specialized software, infrastructure and safeguards to seamlessly and securely share electronic health data among various medical record systems of participating doctors, hospitals and insurers. By using a HIE, participating doctors can quickly find health information about you, such as lab and x-ray results from other participating providers who have treated you in the past.
Mary Lanning Healthcare uses three HIEs:
- Nebraska Health Information Initiative (NeHII)
- Care Everywhere (CE)
- eHealth Exchange through Care Everywhere.
Participating in the Health Information Exchanges (HIE) described in this brochure is voluntary. However, your health information will be included unless you opt out. Please read this notice carefully, and decide whether you would like to opt out.
NeHII
NeHII is a statewide, internet-based health information exchange. NeHII is sponsored by Nebraska healthcare providers and health insurers who share and use your information for treatment, payment, limited healthcare operations and research. For example, by using NeHII:
- Your participating doctors, hospital or pharmacy cna quickly verify your insurance coverage by checking your enrollment status with participating health agencies.
- Your participating providers can make required reports to public health agencies regarding immunizations, communicable diseases, etc.
- Your participating health insurer can electronically obtain information needed to process your claim from the records of participating providers.
- Researchers can use de-identified information and/or limited data sets to conduct research to improve healthcare for all Nebraskans. A limited data set is health information that has had direct patient identifiers removed.
Care Everywhere and eHealth Exchange
Care Everywhere is a health information exchange exclusively for treatment purposes that is integrated into the Mary Lanning electronic medical record (EMR). Care Everywhere is used to exchange patient information with other healthcare providers. Using the same pathway, we are able to access eHealth Exchange, which includes government agencies such as the Department of Veteran Affairs, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Defense. eHealth Exchange was developed by the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology as an initiative for the exchange of healthcare information.
Can I choose not to participate?
Yes. We call this a decision to “opt out.” If you opt out, your health information will not be available for sharing through a HIE with these exceptions:
- In NeHII, your name, address and date of birth will appear. Your opt out status will also be available.
- In CE, to avoid exchange among providers, you must opt out separately with any provider who holds your information. Once you opt out of CE, we will not share your information with other providers via CE, but other organizations may continue to share with us until/unless you opt out from their exchange.
Your decision to opt out will not affect your ability to receive healthcare. Participating in a HIE is not a condition to receiving care. Your decision to opt out applies only to sharing your information through the HIE. It does not affect other sharing of health information by other means, including fax or email.
How can I opt out?
NeHII:
You may opt out in two ways.
- Call the NeHII Helpline at 866-978-1799.
- Go to connectnebraska.net and complete the form under the tab “Opt Out or Opt Back In.”
Care Everywhere/eHealth Exchange:
- Opt out using this form
.
Mail the form to Health Information, 715 N. St. Joseph Avenue, Hastings, NE 68901
or, FAX the form to 402-461-5311.
If I opt out, can I change my mind?
Yes. If you opt out, you may change your mind and revoke that choice. To opt back into either Health Information Exchange, see the contacts listed on “How can I opt out?” Be aware that when you revoke your earlier decision to opt out, all of the information that has been gathered by participating providers, health insurers and public health agencies since you opted out will be available for sharing through the HIE.
As a former school principal, Wayne Moorhead of Edgar knows what a difference a good staff makes.
Shortly after Ron and Kara Faber were married, Ron was diagnosed with cancer, a type that made planning a family difficult. But, Ron said, the excellent, caring treatment he received at the Morrison Cancer Center helped the Fabers embrace the future. Then, when Kara discovered she was pregnant, Mary Lanning was the first and only choice for…
When Hastings College music professor Dr. Robin Koozer was taken to Mary Lanning Healthcare, he didn’t realize he was suffering from the signs of stroke. But a few short months later, Koozer was back to making beautiful music. He attributes this to the quick action by the Mary Lanning Stroke Team.
