Veterans Health Information Exchange (VHIE)

Who is VHIE?

The Veterans Health Information Exchange (VHIE) Program Office manages the tools VA clinicians use to seamlessly and securely access the information they need to coordinate your care.  Through a secure gateway, called the Joint Health Information Exchange (joint HIE), VA, DoD, and other participating external providers who are a part of your care team can safely and securely send and receive your VA health information electronically.

VA only shares your health information with participating non-VA partners and providers when they are treating you.

What is eHIE?

Electronic health information exchange (eHIE) connects health care providers, care facilities, pharmacies, and labs (CAT scans, images, and X-rays are not electronically exchanged at this time) to ensure care teams have the most up-to-date and accurate information in order to treat patients. This secure exchange system can help alleviate the need to send paper medical records by mail or carry your paper records to appointments with federal health care providers and/or participating non-VA partners and providers.

What changed?

The VA MISSION Act of 2018 removed certain restrictions on electronic health information sharing, enabling VA to seamlessly and securely share VA patient health information with participating non-VA partners and providers who are a part of a VA patient's care team. The change took effect April 17, 2020. Previously, patients had to complete a form to opt in or elect to share their electronic health information via VA Exchange.

VA patients do not need to take any action for VA to start coordinating their care to receive electronic health information. VA patients (active duty excluded) may opt out of electronic health information sharing.

What are participating non-VA partners and providers? (participating external providers)

Participating non-VA providers, who are a part of your care team, can safely and securely request and receive electronic health information through the secure gateway called the joint HIE. These participating non-VA partners and providers can provide care to all VA patients, and can include single-physical offices to multi-hospital systems outside of the federal health care system. The federal health care system can also provide care to VA patients, and includes VA, DoD, and USCG.

What are the benefits of information sharing using eHIE?

Your health information follows you from your time in the military into VA care and to participating doctors and hospitals nationwide.

This exchange of information, links DoD, VA, and non-VA health records so your care team can see your meds, allergies, labs, and notes—helping avoid delays and repeat tests. 
 
The more information your health care providers have about your medical history, the better.

Sharing your electronic health information using eHIE tools can help you avoid carrying paper copies of your health record back and forth between providers. The instant exchange of information made possible by eHIE can also dramatically improve care coordination.

Secure, seamless sharing using eHIE also means your care teams will be able to: 

• Better understand your health history so they can focus more time on what is important to you
• Develop a safer and more effective treatment plan
• Work together to improve your overall health

Is sharing my electronic health information using VHIE tools safe?

VA is committed to protecting your privacy. VHIE uses secure systems that comply with all federal privacy laws. Only community health care providers and organizations that are a part of VA's approved, trusted network may receive your electronic health information. Additionally, all VA and participating non-VA partners and providers work to protect your electronic health information and only share the appropriate electronic health information when it is needed.

What kinds of health information can be shared via eHIE?

Currently, VA and participating non-VA partners and providers can electronically share a variety of electronic health information including:

• Prescriptions and medications
• Allergies
• Illnesses
• Laboratory and radiology results
• Immunizations
• Procedures
• Clinical notes
• Other relevant medical information (cat scans, images, and x-rays are not electronically exchanged at this time)

How do I opt out?

If you would prefer that VA not share your health information electronically, you must complete and submit VA Form 10-10164 to your facility's Release of Information Office (ROI). You can also update your sharing preferences by signing into My HealtheVet on VA.gov Medical Records and scrolling down to find Manage your electronic sharing settings. 

There is no deadline to opt out and you may do so at any time. If you previously opted out but want to resume secure and seamless sharing, you may also opt back in at any time by completing VA Form 10-10163 and returning it to your facility's ROI office or by following the same process outlined above on My HealtheVet on VA.gov Medical Records.   

What happens if I opt out?

Choosing to opt out will not affect your access to care from community providers. However, if you opt out, your providers will not receive your electronic medical records in real-time, which would be used to better coordinate your care. This may put your care coordination at risk. There is no deadline to opt out and you may do so at any time. 

I am a health care partner or provider - how can I partner with VA to ensure better care coordination for VA patients?

Visit the Why Partner with VHIE page to learn more about how you or your organization can become a VHIE participating non-VA partner and/or provider to safely and securely share VA patient health information.