FAQs related to Access

Employers do not have access to the Vermont Health Information Exchange.

VITL, the organization that operates the Vermont Health Information Exchange, uses three core strategies to ensure that individual medical records in the Information Exchange are only accessed by health care professionals for purposes of providing care.

• VITL has a training program for participating health care organizations, detailing appropriate use of the Vermont Health Information Exchange.
• VITL ensures that there are warnings and notifications in place to remind users about appropriate use. 
• VITL has established an auditing program to identify potential misuse of the system, including conducting routine audits of user activity in the Vermont Health Information Exchange. All emergency record access requests are audited.

Health insurance companies may use data from the Information Exchange.

Yes, in the event of a medical emergency where a provider believes their patient is experiencing a condition that poses an immediate threat to their health which requires immediate medical attention, they may access their patient’s health record in the Vermont health Information Exchange. This is referred to as a “break the glass” record search, and it is permitted for patients who have opted out. Break the glass events are rare and each time they occur VITL performs an audit to ensure the access was appropriate. The patient or their legal representative must be notified of this access as soon as reasonably possible.

The Vermont Health Information Exchange does not currently have a patient portal. A patient may request that their complete health record in the Vermont Health Information Exchange be sent to them by completing this form. Patients should contact the VITL hotline at 888-980-1243 for more information.

Yes, to test and troubleshoot the system. Some VITL employees may need to view limited amounts of information in the Vermont Health Information Exchange. Employees of VITL accessing the system must have an established need under the “health care operations” consideration of HIPAA. All VITL employees are given training on patient privacy, HIPAA, and minimum necessary access to patient information.

Some information in the Vermont Health Information Exchange is shared with out-of-state providers through eHealth Exchange and through qualified national event notification systems that notify providers when their patient has been admitted, discharged, or transferred from a care setting (like an emergency room or inpatient hospital) or has experienced a significant health event.

To request a copy of your health record in the Vermont Health Information Exchange, fill out and submit the record request form.

You can request an audit report, showing every Vermont Health Information Exchange user who has accessed your record. To request the audit, fill out the audit request form.