N.C. Health Information ExchangeWith the signing of the state budget, the N.C. General Assembly enacted a law temporarily suspending enforcement provisions in the statewide Health Information Exchange Act. The deadline to connect to N.C. Health Connex (January 1, 2023) is unchanged, but the provision that stops the withholding of payment to providers who have not yet connected to the NCHIEA “…connecting to and submitting data through the HIE Network known as NC HealthConnex shall not be a condition precedent to the receipt of State funds, including Medicaid funds, by any provider.” Learn more about these changes here. NC HIE Resources: How to connect to NC HealthConnex APA Resources:APA's EHR resource page will help guide you through the health information technology (HIT) process and provide information on evaluating EHR vendors, EHR educational materials and tools, software listings and reviews, and a glossary of terms. EHR Frequently Asked Questions Here are a few FAQs from the HIE Toolkit:Q. Can I share data related to a patient’s behavioral health through NC HealthConnex? A. Yes. Most behavioral health information is permitted to be shared through NC HealthConnex. However, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act does not allow mental health providers to disclose a patient’s psychotherapy notes to others unless the patient authorizes the disclosure. Although participants cannot submit Part 2 data or psychotherapy notes to the NC HealthConnex data repository, participants are permitted to share these types of information via direct secure messaging with other participants through NC HealthConnex. The provider sending the message must comply with applicable law and obtain the required consent or authorization from the patient before disclosing the data. Q. What if the EHR vendor does not have the technical capabilities to connect to NC HealthConnex? A. The N.C. Health Information Exchange Authority offers a variety of connection options to NC HealthConnex. However, there are some instances in which an electronic health record vendor does not have the technical capability to connect to NC HealthConnex. In those instances, you will receive correspondence from NC HIEA about this and options for possible next steps. Q. Does the connection mandate apply to providers and organizations that do not have an electronic health record (EHR) system but who otherwise provide services to Medicaid beneficiaries and/or other State-funded health care program beneficiaries? A. Yes. Providers and organizations that are subject to condition-of-payment connection mandate in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-414.4 are not exempt from the mandate because they do not presently maintain an electronic health record. To connect and submit data to NC HealthConnex, a provider or organization must have an EHR that is minimally capable of sending HL7 messages, version 2 or higher. The NC HIEA is working with more than 200 electronic health records vendors, including vendors submitting data. We encourage you to procure an EHR as soon as you are able so that you can begin the connection and onboarding processes. Connecting to NC HealthConnex can take up to 12 months, depending on your EHR software. |