FAQs related to Personal Health Information (PHI)

Participating health care organizations (for example: doctors’ offices and hospitals) choose what information they will send to the Vermont Health Information Exchange. A patient’s record in the Vermont Health Information Exchange may contain information including, but not limited to:

• Patient demographics – such as name, age, date of birth, address, etc.
• Problems and conditions
• Allergies
• Medications
• Laboratory test results
• Radiology reports
• Transcribed reports
• Patient care summaries

Some mental health information is in the Vermont Health Information Exchange and some is not:

• Records about mental health care received at some primary care practices, emergency departments, and hospitals may be included, and may include diagnoses and prescribed medications.
• Vermont’s Designated Agencies (list of Designated Agencies by county and region) do not send information to the Vermont Health Information Exchange.
• Private psychiatrists and mental health counselors do not send information to the Vermont Health Information Exchange.

Some information about substance use disorder is in the Vermont Health Information Exchange and some is not:

• Information about substance use disorder treatment received at some primary care practices, emergency departments, and hospitals may be included, and may include diagnoses and prescribed medications.
• The VHIE does not currently receive data from Designated Agencies, “Hubs” for opioid use disorder treatment, or recovery centers.

Yes, laboratory results, reports about medical visits, and radiology reports are in the Vermont Health Information Exchange. They may be included if the laboratory, hospital, or practice where the test was conducted sends information to the Information Exchange or if the provider who ordered the test received information from the Vermont Health Information Exchange.

Yes, medications that have been prescribed and prescriptions that have been filled are included in the Vermont Health Information Exchange.

The information about medication and prescriptions that is in the Vermont Health Information Exchange comes from doctors and providers and from a network of pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, clearing houses, insurance claims, and Surescripts.

The Vermont Health Information Exchange is not linked to the Vermont Prescription Monitoring System (VPMS).

Yes, there are some notes in the Vermont Health Information Exchange. These include notes from health care providers, such as patient care summaries, radiology reports, transcribed reports, operation notes, and discharge instructions.

The best way to correct any incorrect information in the Vermont Health Information Exchange is to contact the health care organization that originally sent the data to the Information Exchange. The Vermont Health Information Exchange hotline 888-980-1243 can offer more information about your options.