What is an HIE/HIO?

A Health Information Exchange or “HIE” (sometimes called a Health Information Exchange Organization or “HIO”) is an organization that helps your healthcare providers and other authorized individuals/entities share (exchange) important medical information about you. An HIE allows participating physicians, hospitals, labs, payers, and other authorized individuals/entities to quickly and securely share (exchange) your vital medical information electronically.

This helps your health care providers, such as Valley Medical Group and The Valley Hospital, to have access to needed medical information about you in order to help provide you with the best care possible, reduce medical errors, eliminate redundant care and reduce unnecessary costs. When you are treated by a health care provider, your medical information may be made available through an HIE, such as CommonWell or the NJHIN, enabling your participating health care providers to help provide you with treatment.  Your medical information may also be available through an HIE for other purposes, such as to facilitate payment for treatment provided to you. Some HIEs may also allow you to access your medical information exchanged through the HIE, such as through an application on your mobile phone. 

More information about the HIEs that Valley providers participate in can be found on our website at www.valleyhealth.com. You generally have the right to opt-out – choose not to – have your medical information shared in an HIE. This means that if you opt-out, your medical information would not be available for your health care providers and other individuals/entities to access and use in the HIE for your treatment or other permitted purposes. However, even if you opt out, your health care providers and other individuals/entities may still be able to share your medical information through more traditional means (such as via paper, fax, email or regular mail) to the extent permitted or required by applicable laws.  You may generally opt out of information sharing in each HIE at each of your health care providers.

How Does an HIE Help You?

  • Helps your doctors share information: Providers involved in your care (primary care providers, specialists, hospitals etc.) will have secure, rapid access to your important health information to help coordinate your care.
  • Faster care: With less time wasted on tracking down your test results and other health information, your health care providers can spend less time on paperwork and more time on your care. 
  • Emergency support: There may be a time when you don’t have the ability or time to share your health information. Medical staff could immediately pull your allergies, medications and health problems, helping them care for you without delay.
  • Error prevention: Everyone involved in your care has access to the same information reducing the likelihood of adverse reactions, allergic responses and medication contraindications.
  • Data protection and confidentiality: Electronic sharing is more secure than a fax or paper file, which could be easily lost or viewed with no tracking of who accessed that paper record.

How Can I Opt-Out?

If you would like to opt-out of Valley sharing your health information in an HIE, please send an email to privacyoffice@valleyhealth.com with:

  • Your full mailing address
  • Your date of birth
  • Your full legal name
  • “HIE Opt-Out”

By typing your name in the email, you are electronically signing that you would like to opt-out of HIE participation. This electronic signature is the legal equivalent of your manual signature on this opt-out request.

You may also opt-out by contacting the Valley Compliance Department directly at 201-291-6329.  You may be asked to submit your opt-out in writing.  Attention: Privacy Officer, The Valley Hospital, 223 North Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450.