currentcare: Frequently Asked Questions for Patients
About currentcare /The Health Information Exchange
What is currentcare?
What is the Health Information Exchange (HIE)?
Who operates currentcare?
How did this project get started?
Is there a place where I can make general comments or suggestions?
How can I sign up for currentcare?
Do I have to be a Rhode Island resident to enroll in currentcare?
Are any pieces of enrollment information optional for me to give?
What happens if I am outside Rhode Island when I seek treatment? Will my electronic record be available?
Who has access to my health information if I decide to enroll?
What is a “provider organization”?
What happens if there is an emergency and a doctor needs my information, but I have not authorized that provider?
Can I leave the system whenever I want? How do I do that?
Can I make changes to who can see my info after my initial enrollment? How do I do that?
What information is in currentcare?
How much does it cost to enroll in currentcare?
Why should I enroll now?
How can I find out who has viewed my health information?
How is my information protected?
Can the system be breached?
What is a breach?
How will I know if a breach of my information occurs?
How can I make a complaint if I feel my information has been accessed inappropriately?
If I leave the system, what happens to my information?
Will there be a physical back-up of my health information in case there is a computer problem?
Where can I get more information about currentcare?
What is currentcare?
currentcare is a secure electronic network that gives doctors and other health care providers access to your most up-to-date health information right away so they can treat you with the best possible care.
What is the Health Information Exchange (HIE)?
The Health Information Exchange (HIE) is a secure electronic network that uses state-of-the-art technology to ensure that medical professionals can access their patients’ most up-to-date health information so their patients can get the best possible health care. Rhode Island’s HIE is called currentcare.
Who operates currentcare?
The Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) is Rhode Island’s Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO). For more information about the Rhode Island Quality Institute, visit the RIQI website at www.RIQI.org.
How did this project get started?
Rhode Island is one of six states to be awarded a demonstration contract from the Agency for Health Care Quality and Research (AHRQ), one of 12 agencies within the federal Department of Health and Human Services. The $5 million contract supports a community-based effort to design and develop a statewide Health Information Exchange.
Is there a place where I can make general comments or suggestions?
Yes. You can visit www.currentcareRI.com or call 1.888.858.4815 with comments or suggestions.
Participating In currentcare
How can I sign up for currentcare?
You can enroll in the currentcare by filling out a currentcare Enrollment and Authorization Form.
Do I have to be a Rhode Island resident to enroll in currentcare?
You do not have to be a Rhode Island resident to enroll in currentcare, but enrolling is most useful to people who get most of their health care in Rhode Island.
Are any pieces of enrollment information optional for me to give?
It is very important to correctly identify each patient so that medical professionals get accurate information. Having several different kinds of information helps ensure correct identification of patients and their records.
Filling in the optional information (insurance ID number, primary phone number, cell phone number, and email address) can help currentcare users identify you and your information correctly.
What happens if I am outside Rhode Island when I seek treatment? Will my electronic record be available?
Not yet. currentcare is a statewide network. But other states and regions are also building HIE’s, which will eventually be joined together.
Who has access to my health information if I decide to enroll?
Only medical professionals who have been authenticated by RIQI (the organization operating currentcare) can use currentcare. Only medical professionals involved in your care can access your health information through currentcare.
You can choose to allow all your health care providers to access your information, or you can choose to allow only medical professionals at certain provider organizations. In an emergency, any medical professional caring for you can access your health information if you are participating in currentcare.
What is a “provider organization”?
A provider organization is a hospital, health center, or provider office. You can choose to allow all your health care providers to access your information, or you can choose to allow only medical professionals at certain provider organizations.
What happens if there is an emergency and a doctor needs my information, but I have not authorized that provider?
In an emergency, medical professionals caring for you can access your health information if you are participating in currentcare. currentcare always keeps a record of who views your information, and RIQI will provide this record to you if your information is accessed in an emergency situation.
Can I leave the system whenever I want? How do I do that?
Enrolling in currentcare is voluntary. You can choose to stop participating at any time by submitting a “Revocation of Authorization Form” to the Rhode Island Quality Institute.
Can I make changes to who can see my info after my initial enrollment? How do I do that?
You can change the way you participate in currentcare at any time by completing a currentcare Enrollment and Authorization Form.
What information is in currentcare?
Today currentcare communicates test results from several labs. Eventually, currentcare will include more of your health information, like reports about x-rays and prescriptions.
How much does it cost to enroll in currentcare?
There is no cost for participating in currentcare.
Why should I enroll now?
If you choose to enroll in currentcare, your health information will be available to authorized health professionals if you have a medical emergency.
By enrolling in currentcare now, you can also begin to build a history of important health information. That means it will be ready and available for your doctors as they start using currentcare.
How can I find out who has viewed my health information?
You can request a report of who has accessed your health information at any time by contacting RIQI. In addition, you will receive a report from RIQI if your information was accessed in an emergency situation or other unanticipated health event and you were unable to be notified ahead of time.
Privacy and Security
How is my information protected?
currentcare’s advanced computer security keeps your information safe and secure, and currentcare only allows authorized medical professionals involved in your care to access your information. In addition, your health information is also protected by state and federal laws.
Can the system be breached?
currentcare keeps a record of who views your information. You can request that record from RIQI by contacting 1.888.858.4815.
What is a breach?
Any unauthorized access of information through the HIE is considered a breach. This is against both state and federal laws. Anyone who violates these laws is subject to civil and criminal penalties.
How will I know if a breach of my information occurs?
As required by law, RIQI will notify the patient in the event of a breach.
How can I make a complaint if I feel my information has been accessed inappropriately?
If you feel your information has been accessed inappropriately, you can fill out a Patient Complaint Form. Patient Complaint Forms are available from any participating provider or from the Rhode Island Quality Institute.
If I leave the system, what happens to my information?
If you choose to stop participating in currentcare, no more information will be communicated through currentcare, and any information already in the system will be blocked from access.
Will there be a physical back-up of my health information in case there is a computer problem?
currentcare has procedures in place to recover data, including health information, and your health care provider will always have a record of any information they make available through currentcare.
OTHER QUESTIONS
Where can I get more information about currentcare?
You can get more information about currentcare, including policies and procedures, by visiting the About Us page or by calling 1.888.858.4815.
