BIDMC participates in Mass HIway (pronounced "mass highway"), a secure statewide computer network that allows health care providers to safely and quickly request patient health information electronically from other participating organizations. Mass HIway can help healthcare providers connect with members of your healthcare team, and to securely send and receive a your health information. This includes knowing about your health problems, test results, allergies, and medications. Doctors sometimes use fax or mail to request and receive health information. But that takes time and it's hard to control who reads a fax or opens a piece of mail, so your information may not always be protected. The goal is better care coordination and quality for you and your family.
What information does the Mass HIway keep about me?
In order for your nurse or doctor to locate your medical record at another health care organization, the Mass HIway "shows" you as a network participant at BIDMC. The information maintained (kept in a secured database within the MassHIway) is your name, medical record number, date of birth, gender, address, email address and phone number. No other information is kept by Mass HIway.
Is my personal information protected?
Yes. The Mass HIway was created by the Executive Office of Health and Human
Services of Massachusetts and has security measures in place. Only
authorized providers can read the information that has been encrypted
behind a firewall.
BIDMC, as well as other organizations who participate in the Mass HIway,
follow state and federal laws to protect your information. In addition, you
need to give special permission to providers for them to receive certain
sensitive information (including but not limited to HIV, genetic testing
and substance abuse history).
Who has access to the information on the Mass HIway?
Your doctor and other health care workers may request,
send and/or receive a medical record. Examples of other health care workers
are a lab technician or someone in the medical records office.
At BIDMC, only those members of the caregiving team who need information to
assist in your care have access to the Mass HIway.
