Background

The National HIEs tend to have poorer data coverage in New York. There are multiple reasons for this, including the fact that NY has its own statewide exchange network, SHIN-NY . Another key reason is that New York is an 'opt-in' state - meaning NY requires patients to actively opt-in to sharing their data via the National HIEs, instead of opting out. 'Opt-in' states tend to have poorer data coverage as a result.

In order to address this data coverage gap for our customers with significant patient populations in New York, Particle partners with Healthix. Healthix is the public HIE for downstate New York, including New York City and Long Island, and provides access to all organizations connected to SHIN-NY. They are connected to many NY facilities that do not participate in the National HIEs, including 31 additional inpatient facilities.

If you are interested in increasing your data coverage in New York and are not currently connected to Healthix, please reach out to your Particle Health representative and we're happy to discuss how to get you set up!

Patient Consent

Unlike the national networks, Healthix requires patients to provide consent for their records to be shared via the network. (Note this is a SHIN-NY requirement, so it is consistent across all NY state HIEs.)

Collecting Patient Consent

Consent must be collected directly from the patient by their provider using the Healthix Patient Consent Forms. Confirmation of patient consent and the date of consent must be provided to Healthix. The consent applies to ALL data exchanged via Healthix for the patient (i.e., including EMR data in all formats and ADTs).

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While Healthix does not need to receive the physical consent document, you are responsible for ensuring that all patient consent documents are retained and can be made available to Healthix if requested during their annual audit.

Patients can choose to update their consent (e.g., rescind or provide). Any updates to patient consent must also be shared with Healthix.

Passing Patient Consent to Particle

Particle enables our customers to pass Healthix patient consent to us via our Patients API. You will need to send us the consent consent_date and the permission value (i.e., permit or deny) for the patient. Any updates to the patient consent (e.g., if the patient rescinds or provides consent at a later date) must also be provided via the Patients API.

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You must use the Patients API to create a record for the patient that includes their consent details before you can query Healthix for the patient.

This is a required step due to the fact that patient consent is required to exchange data with Healthix.

For full implementations details and specifications, check out our Patients API.

Healthix Query Flow

Once your Particle Health representative has enabled Healthix query access for your organization, whenever you submit a query for a patient, Particle will automatically query all 3 National HIEs (Carequality, CommonWell, and eHealth Exchange) and Healthix. Any data that we receive from Healthix for your patients will be included in the set of documents you retrieve for the query, along with the documents from the national networks.

You do not need to implement any new APIs, and Healthix documents will be available in the same data format(s) as the rest of the documents you retrieve - i.e., CCDA, FHIR, or FLAT.

ADTs & Patient Monitoring

In addition to increased EMR data coverage, our partnership with Healthix also gives us access to ADT (admit, discharge, transfer) alerts, which we use to notify our customers when a patient has an ED event. For more information on ADTs and our related offerings, check out Patient Monitoring .

FAQs

What happens if I submit a query for a patient and I haven't yet added them via the Patients API, or I haven't provided their consent details via the Patients API?

You will not receive any documents for the patient from Healthix. Any queries you run for that patient will only return documents from the National HIEs.

What if the patient has not provided consent?

You will not receive any documents for the patient from Healthix. Any queries you run for that patient will only return documents from the National HIEs. Healthix does not currently provide visibility into whether no documents were returned for a patient because consent is not present vs. if there are no documents present for the patient. However, this is an improvement that they are working on implementing.

Can patient consent be collected electronically?

If you interact with your patients electronically, you can incorporate consent into the app. Patients can answer a one-sentence question to provide consent, so long as they have access to the full form if they choose to read it. Healthix recommends integrating the consent form into your standard patient onboarding workflows and forms, to ensure high completion rates.

Can we modify the Healthix consent forms?

Healthix consent forms can be tailored to your organization by personalizing the material with your organization name and logo. While there may be instances where Healthix will accept revisions to the form to ensure it is easy for your patients to understand, Healthix does not advise that you make revisions to the form, and any modifications will require approval from the Healthix Compliance Department.

Do I need to provide a copy of the patient consent form?

No, Healthix does not require you to provide a copy of the consent form for each patient. However, a copy of the patient customer form must be stored and made available to Healthix if requested during their annual audit. Typically, Healthix will request the consent form for a selection of patients as a spot-check during their annual audit.

Are there any guidelines that you can share on best practices for collecting patient consent?

Healthix advises that you train the registrar or whomever works with your patients to be able to provide a short explanation of what access to Healthix means, and what the benefits are to the patient.

Healthix provides patient-facing resources to help with this process. You can also share the following key points with your team to highlight the significance and benefits to the patient of providing affirmative consent:

1. Enhanced Continuity of Care:
   • By signing a consent form, you ensure that your healthcare providers have access to your complete medical history. This facilitates better-informed decisions, especially in emergency situations where quick access to your medical background can be crucial for effective and safe treatment.
2. Coordinated Treatment Across Providers:
   • If you see multiple healthcare providers or specialists, sharing your clinical data allows for better coordination between them. This integration can help in avoiding redundant tests, minimizing the risk of conflicting treatments, and ultimately providing you with more seamless and comprehensive care.
3. Improved Diagnoses:
   • Sharing your clinical data can contribute to more accurate and timely diagnoses. The ability to review your complete medical history aids healthcare professionals in identifying patterns and trends, leading to quicker and more precise diagnoses.
4. Personalized Treatment Plans:
   • Consent to share clinical data enables healthcare providers to tailor treatment plans to your unique health profile. Personalized care takes into account not only your current condition but also your medical history, lifestyle, and genetic factors, optimizing the effectiveness of interventions.
5. Transparent and Collaborative Healthcare:
   • Consent emphasizes a collaborative approach to healthcare. It fosters transparency between you and your healthcare team, building trust and promoting open communication about your health concerns, preferences, and treatment options.

In summary, providing consent to share clinical data empowers patients and their healthcare providers to work together toward optimal health outcomes.

What data formats are Healthix documents available in?

Healthix documents will be available in the same data format(s) as the rest of the documents you retrieve from the National HIEs - i.e., CCDA, FHIR, or FLAT.