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.

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.

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/.

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.

• Navigate to the consent tool located within the HIE.
• Expiration Date: This is the date the consent will expire if the patient doesn’t revoke consent prior to expiration. The patient can choose any date for expiration, with a maximum being five years from the date of submission. This date can be changed by clicking on the calendar and selecting a different day, month, and/or year.
• Identity Validation and Education Attestation: Select both checkboxes attesting that the patient’s identity has been validated, and the patient has been educated on the terms of this consent and questions have been answered.
• Signature and Submission:
  In-person Encounter: If registering this consent during an in-person encounter, the patient should sign their name electronically in the patient signature box. The patient’s legal guardian, parent, or legally authorized representative may sign on behalf of the patient by checking the corresponding box and signing in the signature box.
• Attestation for Consent on File: For telehealth encounters, please ensure the Chesapeake Regional Information System for Our Patients (CRISP) SUD consent form is completed and signed prior to attesting in this tool. Once you have the written and signed SUD consent form on file, select the “Attestation for Consent on File” checkbox within the HIE. Federal law requires patient signature on consent to share SUD information. Remember to keep the previously captured consent on file (either as an electronic or hard copy).
• Name of Person Registering Consent: Type the name of the person registering this consent.

You can find more substance use-specific FAQs here.