VA/Private Sector Medical Records Sharing Partnership Completes Phase I

VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System can now view electronic patient records with select health care providers across the region, including UPMC, Butler Health System, ACMH Hospital, Excela Health, Heritage Valley Health System, St. Clair Hospital, Washington Health System, and Presbyterian SeniorCare.

PITTSBURGH (PRWEB) June 05, 2015-In an effort to provide Veterans with more comprehensive care, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System can now view electronic patient records with select health care providers across the region, including UPMC, Butler Health System, ACMH Hospital, Excela Health, Heritage Valley Health System, St. Clair Hospital, Washington Health System, and Presbyterian SeniorCare.

The long-awaited and milestone connectivity with ClinicalConnect’s health information exchange (HIE), improves coordination of care and will reduce unnecessary testing for thousands of western Pennsylvania Veterans receiving care from both VA and non-VA providers.

“We strongly encourage Veterans who see both VA Pittsburgh and private sector doctors to sign up for the program and opt in for record-sharing,” said VA Pittsburgh Acting Director Dr. David Macpherson. “Sharing electronic medical records is a more effective way to coordinate and deliver care and will save Veterans time and eliminate potentially unnecessary testing.”

This first phase of the collaboration under VA’s Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record program allows about 11,000 VA providers nationwide to securely view and share important portions of a Veteran’s electronic health records, such as discharge summaries, medications, and test results.

VA Pittsburgh and ClinicalConnect HIE are currently in testing to implement Phase II of the collaboration, which will expand the types of medical records for secure sharing and allow more than 20,000 ClinicalConnect HIE providers to view their veteran patients’ VA health care records.

A special authorization form, signed by the veteran, is required for the program, and access to their records is restricted to health care networks which have formally partnered with VA. Veterans may sign up for the program in person at any VA Pittsburgh facility or download the authorization form and mail it to VA Pittsburgh (click here for more information).

Sheila Tunney
Veterans Health Administration
+1 4123601479

Shelley Nulph

412822-3536