The Veterans Health Information Exchange (VHIE)
The Veterans Health Information Exchange (VHIE) program lets us securely share your health information with participating community care providers in our network. VHIE also lets us share your information with the Department of Defense. Read this page to learn more about VHIE and how to manage your sharing options.
How VHIE can improve your health care
VHIE is a secure online system that gives your health care providers a more complete understanding of your health records. This more complete understanding can help your providers make more informed treatment decisions.
VHIE lets your providers get all of your VA medical records instantly. This can help you avoid delays, extra tests that you don’t need, and mistakes in your health care. And you won’t need to send paper records by mail or carry your records to appointments with different providers.
How to manage your sharing options
We share your health information with participating community care providers only when they’re treating you. If you want us to share your information, you don’t have to do anything. We automatically include you in the program. If you don’t want us to share your information through VHIE, you can opt out at any time.
Choosing to opt out won’t affect your access to care from community providers. But if you opt out, your community providers may not get your medical records before treating you. So, they may not have all the information they need.
Note: If you’ve opted out and you go to a non-VA emergency room, we may still share your information so that you can get the care you need.
How to opt out—or opt back in
To opt out, you’ll need to fill out an Opt-Out of Sharing Protected Health Information Through Health Information Exchanges (VA Form 10-10164).
Get VA Form 10-10164 to download
To opt back in, you’ll need to fill out a Request for and Permission to Participate in Sharing Protected Health Information Through Health Information Exchanges (VA Form 10-10163).
Get VA Form 10-10163 to download
You can submit your form online, in person, by mail, or by fax.
Online
To submit your form online, you’ll need to sign in to My HealtheVet with a Premium account.
Upgrade to a Premium My HealtheVet account
In person, by mail, or by fax
You can also submit your completed form to your VA health facility’s medical records office. The medical records office is also called a Release of Information office.
Follow these steps to find contact information for your medical records office:
- Find your VA health facility
- On your health facility’s website, scroll to the “In the spotlight” box.
- Select “Access your health records.” This will bring you to a page with contact information for the medical records office.
How to check if you’ve opted out of VHIE
To check your sharing status, contact your VA health facility’s medical records office.
If you’ve recently submitted your form to opt out, or to opt back in, your request may be in process.