Health Information Exchange

Bayhealth’s Health Information Exchange allows clinicians, and others who support your care, to securely share a patient’s medical information electronically. This sharing can take place among many different settings that a patient may receive care; doctors’ offices, hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories, and other healthcare providers. Rather than relying on fax or mail to transfer patient records, Bayhealth caregivers, and other health systems, can electronically send or download the information they need to provide patients the most coordinated care possible.

To provide you with the safest, most effective and efficient care possible, authorized clinicians and care teams need a complete picture of your medical history. By using Health Information Exchange, Bayhealth clinicians can quickly get the medical information they need. Health Information Exchange allows the information in your Bayhealth electronic health record (EHR) to be available to clinicians outside of our network.  By accessing your records through the health information exchange, doctors can also see your previous tests results and any medicines or treatments to ensure they order only what’s necessary. When clinicians have access to more complete information, they spend less time gathering records from different organizations and can focus on caring for you.

Below are some examples of when clinicians might share your medical history:

• Your primary care provider may directly send your healthcare summaries to a specialist.
• Emergency room care teams might adjust treatment plans to avoid adverse medication reactions or duplicative testing after reviewing your medications, recent radiology images or test results.
• If you suffered a stroke or a broken hip, your entire care team—from the emergency room to a rehabilitation facility—can access the relevant clinical information they need in a timely manner.

Federal and state privacy laws allow doctors, nurses and other caregivers to share health information only to support a patient’s medical treatment and obtain payment for the services provided.

Only users with an authorized medical treatment need, or other legitimate business need, can see your information. When accessing patient information, health care workers are required by law and policy to view only the minimum information necessary to accomplish their needs. Bayhealth routinely audits users’ access to patient information to assure that these standards are upheld.  Bayhealth commits to safeguarding the privacy of our patients. Only users with an authorized medical treatment or other legitimate business need can see your information.

You can request an accounting of the use of your personal health information and of specific disclosures of information for purposes other than treatment, payment and healthcare operations. To learn more, please contact the Bayhealth Privacy Officer at 302-744-6155.

If you received care at a Bayhealth facility and then receive care from another provider or organization, the other organization may be permitted to access information in your Bayhealth record to support and coordinate your care.

If you choose to “opt out” or not participate in Health Information Exchange, your healthcare team may not have all of the needed information to provide you the safest and most effective healthcare.