Bridging the information gap between physical and behavioral health is crucial for whole-person care. In July 2022, the Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP DC) launched a new consent tool to reduce barriers to sharing important health information with the patient’s health care team. The tool serves as a platform for providers and staff to register patient consents to share substance use disorder (SUD) data protected by Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records regulations (42 CFR Part 2) through the CRISP DC Health Information Exchange (HIE). To date, the CRISP DC consent tool has recorded more than 390 patient consents.
The consent tool aims to improve care coordination between SUD providers and other health care providers for patients across the levels of care for substance use treatment, and to ease the workflow burden when obtaining consent and exchanging information via the HIE. CRISP DC developed the tool with a competitive award from the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), funded by a 1003 SUPPORT Act Provider Capacity Grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
To facilitate discussions between providers and patients about this important option, DHCF’s Integrated Care DC and CRISP DC recently created an easy-to-understand Consenting to Share Your SUD Treatment Information flyer on what it means to share SUD treatment data through the CRISP DC HIE. Providers can also find instructions for using the CRISP DC consent tool, including upcoming and recorded webinars, at https://crispdc.org/consent.
The CRISP DC HIE is a platform for the secure and rapid exchange of health and social needs data among healthcare entities, including doctors, hospitals, and laboratories.
Sharing SUD data through CRISP DC HIE comes with strict safeguards to protect patient privacy. By law, healthcare providers must keep health data private and confidential. Also, police and courts do not have access to this information. CRISP DC HIE maintains robust security measures to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of health data, adhering to all HIPAA regulations.
By consenting to share their SUD treatment data through the CRISP DC HIE, patients are enabling their healthcare team to have instant access to critical information that can significantly impact patient care. This secure and rapid data exchange can improve care coordination, treatment decision-making, and patient outcomes. With the ability to control data sharing and robust privacy protections, the CRISP DC HIE empowers patients to actively participate in their care while maintaining the confidentiality of their sensitive health information.
For more information, visit https://crispdc.org/consent.