The Atrius Health medical groups including Harvard Vanguard are participating in the Mass HIway, a secure statewide computer database that assists in connecting your healthcare providers so your health information can be more easily shared between them.
The Mass HIway does not store patients’ medical records or any health information; instead, and only with your consent, you allow your healthcare organization to send demographic information about you to the Mass HIway to be stored in a secure database. Your provider can safely send your information to any other organization participating in the Mass HIway. In addition, the demographic data can be searched by these other healthcare organizations (like hospitals) that participate in the Mass HIway, and they can more quickly and safely request and receive your health information and medical history when they need it to care for you.
Information that is stored in the Mass HIway secure database:
- full name
- date of birth
- home address
- phone number
- gender
- medical record number
Managed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS), participation in the Mass HIway is a voluntary choice for all patients. State law requires that all healthcare organizations get patient consent (by signing a consent form) before they may use the Mass HIway for that patient’s care.
Why might it be helpful for you to participate in the Mass HIway with your healthcare providers? A doctor or nurse can care for you better when he or she has important information about your health history. The Mass HIway is designed to make this safer and faster. The goal is better care coordination and quality for you and your family. However, if you do not give consent for the Mass HIway, that’s okay – your providers will continue to send your health information using other ways, like fax or the mail, but these can be slower and less secure modes of transmission.
To learn more about the Mass HIway, please visit the Harvard Vanguard public website for a full list of frequently-asked questions and their answers, or go the EOHHS website for more information. The Atrius Health Mass HIway consent form can also be found on our website or you can download it here. Additionally, you may also be asked about signing the consent form the next time you come into the practice and can speak with your healthcare providers if you have any concerns or questions.