June 2021 | Issue 45
HEALTHeLINK ENHANCED ALERTS AND REPORTING
HEALTHeLINK is supporting participant organizations by generating and supplying specific alerts and/or reports on their patients who were provided care outside their practice. This information directly supports documentation for required tests being performed that impacts the practice’s quality scores. 
 
In addition:
  • We are supporting hospitals with the patient’s vaccination status when registered for an inpatient stay. 
  • In support of the relaxed COVID-19 test requirement prior to elective surgeries, if a patient has been vaccinated or has recovered from COVID, we are working to support surgery centers on which patients will not need to be tested for COVID-19 three days prior to surgery date.
  • Assisting participants in getting data to their business associates to meet various quality and reporting requirements.
HOSPITAL EVENT NOTIFICATIONS
The CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Rule published in 2020 went into effect on May 1, 2021, which requires hospitals to send electronic admit, discharge, and transfer notifications to providers that have an established relationship with the patient. HEALTHeLINK along with participating hospitals, established a process to send alert notifications to providers when the hospital is directed to do so by the patient. Providers can expect to receive more real-time alerts on their patients who are in the hospital. For additional information, please contact your account manager. 

HEALTHeCOMMUNITY PORTAL 3.0
HEALTHeLINK is currently nearing the end of the Quality Assurance phase for our upcoming release of Portal 3.0. We are expecting the deployment to take place between late June and the end of July. A message will be posted to the Portal once the date is confirmed.
 
Portal 3.0 will modernize the platform, providing security and self-service improvements, as well as updating the look and feel of the interface to bring it in line with current industry trends. 
COVID-19 VACCINE ALERTS
HEALTHeLINK is now sending COVID-19 vaccine alerts using the daily file of COVID-19 vaccinations sourced by the New York State Immunization Information Service (NYSIIS). Providers with established subscriptions, can expect to see three types of alerts:
 
  1. Patients who have received the vaccine (including first and second dose)
  2. Patients who have missed their second dose of Moderna or Pfizer within the allotted timeframe per CDC guidance.
  3. Patients who are not vaccinated and at risk of severe reactions if they contract COVID-19.
 
COVID-19 vaccine information can also be found within HEALTHeLINK and HEALTHeOUTCOMES. COVID-19 vaccine data will include where the vaccine was administered, when it was administered and what vaccination it is in a series, including whether the series has been completed. For more information, please contact your HEALTHeLINK account manager.
DON'T TAKE THE BAIT
Attacks that use fake email messages designed to impersonate individuals or organizations, also known as phishing attacks, are one of the most common techniques used by hackers to steal information. While phishing attacks are not new, hackers are always looking for new and creative ways to trick people into clicking links or opening attachments. 
 
Phishing emails are usually designed to focus on two main things, urgency and fear. By focusing on something that seems urgent (such as a password expiration) hackers hope that the person receiving the email will rush to open the message rather than taking the time to analyze if it is legitimate. Taking the time to verify the email is legitimate is critical in reducing the chances of falling for a phish. 
 
HEALTHeLINK will never email our participants to ask for a password or other personal information. If you do receive what appears to be an email from us to this effect, or from this domain, please call the HEALTHeLINK Help Desk at 1-877-895-4724.
PORRECA PARTICIPATES IN NATIONAL SUMMIT
On May 21, HEALTHeLINK Executive Director Dan Porreca participated in “The Future of Digital Quality Measurement” panel discussion at Healthcare IT Connect’s virtual summit on May 21. The 2021 summit provided critical insights and enabled public and private sector thought leaders to share ideas and benchmark implementation strategies for health IT systems for 2021 and beyond. 
HEALTHeLINK IN THE NEWS
ADOPTION


Percent of WNY practices who participate with HEALTHeLINK: 87%
 
Total number of patient consent forms signed: 1,408,946
 
Total results available through HEALTHeLINK: 297,373,038
 
Total number of patient record look up queries in HEALTHeLINK from January-June 2021: 2,055,170
 
Total number of practices sending data to HEALTHeLINK from their EHR: 457
 
Total number of practices getting results delivered from HEALTHeLINK into their EHR:449
NEW DATA SOURCES


Artemis Inspired Medicine PC 

Buffalo OB Gyn

Harmonia Collaborative Care

Jennifer M Ruh MD PC

Saman B Chubineh MD 

 Sleep Insights Medical Associates PLLC 

Western New York Blood Care 


For a complete listing of data sources and participating practices, click here!
PATIENT RECORD
LOOK-UP TOP USERS

Hospital Users
--Kaleida Health System
--Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center
--Roswell Park 
--ECMC
--Catholic Health System

Physician Practice Users
--General Physician PC
--Dent Neurologic Institute
--Buffalo Medical Group
--WNY Urology Associates
--University Neurology
--Landmark Medical
--Roswell Park Oncology PC
--Windsong Radiology
--The Chautauqua Center
--Jericho Road Community HealthCenter

Other Participant Users
--Greater Buffalo United Accountable Healthcare Network
--Health Homes of Upstate New York
--ConnectLife
--Erie County DOH
--Health Home Partners of Western New York
Proud member of SHIEC

Proud to be part of the Statewide Health Information Network for New York (SHIN-NY)