Great news! Your providers now have access to your most current medical records throughout western North Carolina. What is Mission Health Connect? It is a health information exchange. A health information exchange (HIE) allows health care information to be shared electronically between your physicians, hospitals and other providers who help manage your health. Working as a team, your providers will have access to a more complete health record. It allows clinical information to quickly move between different health care systems while maintaining the privacy, security and accuracy of the information. This replaces the outdated method of faxing or of requiring you/others to transport paper medical records between your providers. WHO, WHAT, WHEN, HOW and WHY? (Information we want you to know) If I participate, WHO can see my records? As with your electronic medical record, only your health care providers (and associated staff who are given rights to the HIE) can access and share your records for: treatment purposes, payment purposes, health care operations, required public health reporting, other state or federally mandated reporting purposes, or for research as allowed by law. If I participate, WHAT information is shared? Mission Health Connect will include demographics and information about your health diagnosis, procedures, medications, allergies, immunizations, laboratory and other test results. It will not include psychotherapy notes, records from a licensed substance abuse facility, or other information that requires your specific authorization to release under state or federal law. Healthcare records from 2011 to present-day will be available within the HIE. Advance Directives submitted after September 4, 2017 will also be viewable to qualifying systems. WHEN is my information shared? Only individuals caring for you as a patient or providing coordination of health services to you will be able to view your health information. Just like with electronic medical records, Mission Health Connect tracks when your record is viewed, by whom, and what was viewed. HOW is my health information protected? Mission Health Connect takes precautions to keep your records private and secure. Your records are protected by encryption technology and other security measures, including administrative, physical and technical safeguards. Federal and state guidelines govern how your health information can be exchanged, viewed, or used. Mission Health Connect participants have agreed to follow the applicable laws, rules, and guidelines. WHY should I participate? Your participation allows your medical providers to see a more complete picture of your overall health and to make more informed treatment decisions. health care providers already share patient health records by fax, email, and mail when needed for your care-the HIE offers a process that may be more efficient, accurate, and timely. The HIE assists us in achieving our aim for our community which is to improve quality of care, improve patient safety, reach better outcomes, and lower costs. Finally, am I REQUIRED to participate in the HIE? No. However, your health information will be available and visible to your participating caregivers/medical providers through Mission Health Connect unless you opt-out using the Mission Health Connect Opt-Out Form at registration. Your choice to opt-out of the HIE will not affect your ability to access medical care. Opting out will not prevent your providers from sharing your health information with authorized persons or entities or when necessary for public health or research purposes that are permitted or required by North Carolina and federal law. If I decide to "opt out" now, can I join at a later time? Yes. However, your health information will only be available within the HIE for dates of service on and after your decision to participate. Information from earlier dates of services/medical care may or may not be available within the HIE.