For providers, every second makes a difference. That’s why we ensure you are equipped with easy access to the critical patient information you need to deliver effective, more efficient care.
healthEconnect Alaska is a nonprofit organization designated in 2009 by the Alaska State Legislature to be the health information exchange (HIE) for all of Alaska. We are not owned or controlled by any healthcare entity, and we do not answer to anyone but our board of directors and the state of Alaska. We never sell, share, or use health information for profit.
healthEconnect Alaska is entrusted by the Alaska Department of Health, is regulated by Alaska state statute 18.23.300, and complies with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules, as do healthEconnect protecting the privacy and security of health information is the highest priority of healthEconnect Alaska and its participants. Health information is kept secure using stringent industry technical and security safeguards and administrative policies and procedures.
We offer simple yet powerful solutions that streamline workflows and processes for providers and other healthcare stakeholders so they can access the data they need, when they need it.
The following core services are central to enhancing patient care:
healthEconnect Portal
Our provider-centric solution features a streamlined suite of vital patient data and care coordination tools that can embed directly into EMRs or be accessed through our secure portal.
Direct Secure Messaging (DSM)
Our HIPAA-compliant, integrative messaging solution allows care organizations and government agencies to communicate directly and securely share protected information with other healthcare organizations and stakeholders.
Public Health Reporting
Our robust and efficient data solution can streamline complex and laborious mandated public health reporting, such as electronic lab reporting (ELR), vaccinations, infectious diseases, and more.
As Alaska’s HIE, healthEconnect Alaska focuses on the diverse Alaska healthcare ecosystem, which includes hospitals and clinics; providers, including behavioral and tribal healthcare providers; payers and health plans; public health agencies; and federally qualified health centers. Learn more about the various entities we serve and the organizations/stakeholders in our network.
Yes, patients who voluntarily choose to share sensitive data may opt in.
Currently, access is only provided to health care providers and members of the care team.
Providers that would like to become healthEconnect Alaska participants can contact us at: info@healtheconnectAK.org or (866) 966-9030, ext. 4., and request a participation agreement.
Patients can always opt out of sharing their data. If a provider’s facility participates in the network, a patient’s health information will be accessible through healthEconnect Alaska. Just like health records in a medical clinic or healthcare organization, only those involved in a patient’s care can access their information through the HIE.Patients can decide to opt out and not have their health records accessible to their healthcare providers through the HIE. The choice a patient makes will not affect their ability to access medical care If a patient decides to opt out, their health records will not be searchable through the HIE, but their treating provider will still be able to receive their lab results, radiology reports, and other information through traditional fax, mail, or other electronic communications.
Patients should understand that when they opt out, their medical information will not be readily available to help participating physicians manage their care, even in an emergency. Their choice is personal and will only be shared with their physician. An opt-in/out consent form, which includes patient participation options, can be found here: Opt-In/Out Form
You can find more patient-specific FAQs here.
Protecting data is healthEconnect Alaska’s highest priority. Our privacy and security practices have been HITRUST-certified, meaning they adhere to the highest industry standards and best practices. All transmissions are encrypted into a type of language that can only be translated, or decrypted, by certified professionals who have the authority to do so.
All healthEconnect Alaska participants must sign a data-use agreement, which regulates and determines permitted uses and exchange, including privacy and security. Audits are continually performed to monitor data access. healthEconnect Alaska is compliant with HIPAA and other relevant legal requirements.
Through the healthEconnect portal, providers can access patient health information such as demographics (age, gender, and address); medications; allergies; immunizations; health conditions; reports, including labs; provider’s notes and summaries from other healthcare organizations; and care coordination documents.
Not all health clinics or providers share information with healthEconnect Alaska. Patients can ask their care providers if they are participating.
Certain types of sensitive health information may not be disclosed under federal laws without the patient’s prior written authorization.
You can find more substance use-specific FAQs here.
An HIE is an organization with agreed-upon operational and business rules that provides services to enable the electronic and secure sharing of health-related information. Electronic exchange of clinical information allows doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers improve the speed, quality, safety, coordination, and cost of patient care.
HIE adoption is associated with various benefits, including reduced hospital emergency department length of stays and positive effects on quality improvement of patient care. Like the other 50 states that have implemented an HIE, healthEconnect Alaska works to ensure that providers and care teams have the vital tools and clinical data resources they need to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs of care.
Patient information within the HIE is securely guarded and only accessible to authorized entities—the HIE participants—who contract with healthEconnect Alaska. HIE participants are bound by federal and state laws, including HIPAA. Moreover, they must adhere to healthEconnect’s stringent policies governing the proper use of patient information within the HIE.
A patient’s care team, which may include doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers, along with their health plan and those working on a patient’s behalf, are among the participants who can access health information in an HIE. The intent behind this access is to streamline a patient’s treatment process, coordinate care, manage cases, plan transitions of care, and handle payment for treatment. This information is only shared with healthcare providers who list patients in their practice or at the hospital. Providers must have an existing patient relationship to view their data in the HIE.
When required by law, certain approved entities like medical examiners and certain public health authorities might access the HIE for specific, permitted purposes.
At healthEconnect Alaska, we take data privacy and security very seriously. The use of the HIE is strictly governed and controlled to protect patient information and may only be used consistent with the law or our HIE policies.
Patients can request an accounting of disclosures from healthEconnect Alaska. This list of providers will include everyone who has seen any of your data in healthEconnect Alaska. You can request that list by completing the web form at: https://disclosures.crisphealth.org/.
CRISP/CRISP Shared Services (CSS) is the health technology partner that powers our HIE Portal, providing the infrastructure and tools that enable secure data exchange across our network.
Direct Secure Messaging (DSM) is a secure, HIPAA-compliant email service in which all the other users of DSM have agreed to the same level of authentication, trust and interoperability. The DirectTrust Accredited community is committed to the highest level of security, privacy and interoperability. DSM takes care of all the trust management, encryption and decryption on the backend so all you have to do is compose an email and hit “send”.
Inpriva is our trusted partner for Direct Secure Messaging (DSM). Originally developed for secure, interoperable communication between healthcare providers and their associates, Inpriva’s platform now extends to support secure collaboration in various sectors, including social services, public health, and judicial systems. healthEconnect Alaska utilizes Inpriva’s services to deliver secure, HIPAA-compliant email solutions, ensuring reliable communication across the healthcare network.
Please note: to register for a DSM account through healthEconnect, please use the healthEconnect DSM Registration page.
Here is a summary of what the steps are after you click on the “Register Now” button:
You can request a copy of the healthEconnect Direct Secure Messaging Participant Agreement. It contains pricing information, together with other terms and conditions for the service. You’ll be asked to sign and agree to these terms at the end of the Direct registration process.
When sending to a non-Direct address, you will get a notification asking if you are sure you want to trust this recipient–if you do, just click and send. Your recipient is issued a temporary Direct address that can exchange with your Direct address based on your decision to trust. Their temporary login and password is sent to your recipient so they don’t have to register for anything, nor do they have to create or remember a password.
You don’t need an EHR to exchange Direct secure messages with an EHR if you use healthEconnect DSM. The DSM webmail client has a unique CCDA viewer built in so that you can receive and read messages from an EHR with ease.
Please visit the Inpriva DSM knowledge base for more detailed information about registration, functionality, user guides, and FAQs.
healthEconnect Alaska’s DSM services cost $75 per mailbox per year.
Account admins will receive an annual invoice for all active accounts registered with their DSM Domain. Invoices will be sent to the email address provided during registration (not your DSM mailbox) and will be sent from Quickbooks@notification.intuit.com
Any Direct Secure Messaging accounts that are more than 90 days past due are subject to termination.
For more information about healthEconnect Alaska, please see our about page or our patient FAQs.