eHealthTrust FAQs
Benefits to RHIOs
Benefits to Payers and Purchasers
Benefits to Patients
Cost
eHealthTrust Operations FAQs
The eHealthTrust Solution
What is an eHealthTrust and how does it work?
An eHealthTrust is a medical “bank account” for each patient’s electronic medical records, which is paid for and controlled by the patient. This is important because doctors and hospitals can make “deposits” of medical information into the patient’s account, and even receive reimbursements to do so, but the patient controls all the “withdrawals” of medical record information. When a patient enrolls in eHealthTrust the Trust becomes the agent for their records. By giving medical care providers access to critical medical record information at the point of care, the eHealthTrust solution helps ensure that patients receive better, safer care at lower costs. Here is how it works: eHealthTrust Overview (503k slide show).
Benefits to RHIOs
What are the key benefits of an eHealthTrust to a RHIO (Regional Health Information Organization)?
The eHealthTrust solution offers many benefits to RHIOs
including:
• Requires little to no start-up funding
• Provides immediate financial sustainability
• Includes very low operating costs (only $50-$100 per patient per
year)
• Includes immediate and direct benefits to each eHealthTrust enrollee
• Provides access to complete patient medical information
• Includes financial incentives for physician EHR use -- an exclusive
benefit of the eHealthTrust solution
• Offers a smooth transition from paper to electronic records through
eHealthTrust storage of images of existing paper records (submitted via
fax)
• Eliminates need for time consuming and expensive data sharing agreements
because HIPAA requires submission of patient information when requested
by the patient
• Enhances privacy through patient-controlled access to all information
• Offers searchable database for medical research information with
patient consent; potential additional source of revenue
• Provides searchable database for public health purposes
• Quickly and easily implemented
How do I get an eHealthTrust started for my RHIO?
To build an eHealthTrust in your region, begin by contacting us to secure a license for the eHealthTrust solution. Optionally, we can assist with consultative services as well as technical and marketing implementation assistance to establish your eHealthTrust. We can even supply the software, too.
How much does it cost?
The eHealthTrust business process license is only $5,000 per year for an unlimited number of members. Contact us directly at licensing@ehealthtrust.com for current pricing on consulting services and software.
Who owns and operates a RHIO’s eHealthTrust?
Most eHealthTrusts will be owned and operated by, and for, the specific community or regional area that they serve through a non-profit organization. Some communities may utilize for-profit subsidiaries or contracts for operations, or other organizational forms. Each community can choose to organize in the way that is most suitable for its needs.
Benefits to Payers and Purchasers
Why should I enroll my beneficiaries in an eHealthTrust?
Enrolling your beneficiaries in an eHealthTrust will help improve their health care and reduce costly medical errors. An eHealthTrust provides a simple mechanism for collecting each patient’s complete medical records and making them available to providers for their care. Such complete records are critical to improving quality and reducing medical errors. It is estimated that the potential savings from such health information infrastructure would be at least 8% of health care costs (or $400/person/year). Even if only a portion of these savings is achieved, there is still an excellent return on investment for the $50-100/beneficiary for eHealthTrust enrollment fee.
How can I monitor the effectiveness of eHealthTrust?
The effectiveness of eHealthTrust can be easily monitored by tracking the trends in your claims. In addition, because the eHealthTrust solution pays physicians for their submissions into each patient’s account, it will dramatically increase EHR adoption, making it easier for physicians to provide you with data about the care they are providing. Furthermore, you can also query the eHealthTrust data for a small fee (see “Research” section below) to look at statistical trends.
Benefits to Patients
Why should I enroll in an eHealthTrust? Doesn't my doctor already have all my records?
You should enroll in eHealthTrust to ensure that all of your medical records are centrally located and easily accessible. Your doctor has some of your records, but usually not all of them. If you are like most people and receive care in more than one place, then each facility where you get care has only a part of your complete record. Also, there are certain records that virtually no doctor can access – for example, a list of prescriptions you have filled. The eHealthTrust brings all those records together in one place so that -- with your permission -- your doctors can access them to provide better care for you.
Can the eHealthTrust send me reminders about appointments and medical care that I need?
Yes, you or your doctor can set up automatic reminders to you about upcoming appointments or the need to obtain specific tests. These reminders will be available to you when you log in to the eHealthTrust or they can be sent to your electronic mailbox.
Can the eHealthTrust help me find medical information about my condition?
Some eHealthTrusts may establish specific connections to available medical information from reliable sources that is linked to your records. For example, if one of your medical problems is diabetes, there would be a place next to that information for you to click to access online information about that condition. Check with your eHealthTrust provider to see if this is available.
Are my records available in an emergency?
Yes. In an emergency, any legitimate emergency physician can access your records (unless you have specifically forbidden such access).
Are my records available if I need them when I am traveling?
Yes, your records are available using a secure Internet web site (similar to the sites for banks and online financial transactions), and therefore are available anywhere there is Internet access.
What do I need to do to be sure my records are available if I am planning to travel to a place where there is no Internet access?
If you expect to be traveling in a very remote area where Internet access may not be available, you may wish to print out your complete record before your trip and carry it with you.
Cost
Who pays for the cost of keeping my records in the eHealthTrust?
The consumer/patient. The cost is very modest – typically $50-100/year (or about $5-9/month). We are working with health insurance companies and employers to encourage them to cover this expense as an important and necessary medical service (just as other medical care services). The value to a patient of having all their medical records in one place under their own control more than offsets this cost, especially since it is critical to receiving the best quality of care and preventing costly medical errors.
Isn’t an eHealthTrust just another health care service that should be covered by insurance plans?
Yes, and we are working with health insurance companies and employers to encourage them to do so.
If answers to your questions are not found here, please feel free to send your questions to: Info@eHealthTrust.com