For Patients - CRISP | CRISP

For Patients - CRISP | CRISP
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Getting Your Data to the Right Place at the Right Time
CRISP gives your healthcare providers a view into your medical history, thus giving you a more efficient, safer, and quicker patient experience.
What is CRISP?
Your Health Info
Your Rights
Advance Directives
FAQs
Quick Navigation
What is CRISP?
CRISP is the designated Health Information Exchange (HIE) in Maryland. An HIE is a way of instantly sharing health information among doctors’ offices, hospitals, labs, radiology centers, and other healthcare organizations. CRISP allows providers and organizations coordinating your care to view your medical history. For example, providers can review recent lab results or see information about your recent hospital encounters through CRISP tools. CRISP sharing information allows organizations to provide safer, more timely, and efficient patient-centered care. Security of all your health information is our top priority at CRISP.
Understanding the State's Health Information Exchange (HIE)
Our Mission
We will support the healthcare community of Maryland and our region to appropriately and securely share health information in order to facilitate care, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes.
How does it work?
CRISP securely connects to all Maryland hospitals and most other health care providers. These organizations decide what patient information they share with other providers through CRISP. Some organizations do not share any information and use CRISP to view information shared by other providers. All Maryland hospitals share basic health information about their patients, such as when they have been admitted or discharged. Hospitals and other health care providers decide what additional types of information they share, such as lab results or hospital paperwork. CRISP also shows your providers when other providers have signed up to be alerted about your hospital visits.
Doctors or other health care providers with a patient treatment relationship with you can search CRISP to view your health information.
These Providers may also sign up to receive notifications when you visit a hospital
CRISP may not have all your health information because some providers may not yet share any information or only share partial data with CRISP.
How is my data kept safe?
CRISP follows all state and federal privacy laws. Also, any provider that uses CRISP agrees to keep your data safe and not share it with anyone not allowed to see it. Additionally, providers agree to follow state and federal laws.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
is the primary law governing health data sharing.
The CDC also provides more information about HIPAA at this link.
Keeping patient data safe is a CRISP priority. CRISP uses advanced security measures to keep your Healthcare data private and secure. These measures include consistent system checks, state-of-the-art monitoring tools, routine technology penetration testing, and next-generation audit capabilities. Additionally, CRISP relies on an advisory board composed of industry experts and patients to help shape our privacy and security programs. Our secure technology and advisory board shape CRISP programs and policies to keep your data safe and only seen by appropriate individuals to improve your care.
What is the value of a Health Information Exchange (HIE)?
A Health Information Exchange (HIE) may help doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers provide faster better care. CRISP offers rapid access to your health data safely. One example of CRISP utility is if you were in an emergency room and unable to answer questions. In this situation, the doctor or nurse could check CRISP to ensure you did not have allergies or medical conditions that would affect your treatment.
An HIE may also lower health care costs by helping to prevent repeated tests because doctors can check CRISP to see results from previous tests or labs.
What are the risks of a Health Information Exchange?
CRISP works hard to protect all your information and ensure that only authorized health care providers can see your records. There are some risks to participating with CRISP. Although rare, data could be mistakenly shared with someone who was not supposed to see it. CRISP uses many security and audit measures to ensure this does not happen. If an unauthorized person accesses your information, we will tell your doctor, and they will notify you of what happened.
Your Health Info
What Kinds of Information Does CRISP Have About Me?
Healthcare providers will share information about you through CRISP that they believe is vital knowledge for your other healthcare providers. CRISP may have access to Health Records from your doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies that you have visited. Providers may share your test results, radiology images, notes, or other information about your care. They may also share a summary containing critical health information.
CRISP connects to all 48 hospitals in Maryland and shares hospital information such as discharge paperwork and labs with your other providers. Certain sensitive information, such as addiction treatment details, can only be shared with your written consent.
If your healthcare provider shares information with or views information in CRISP, they must inform you through their Notice of Privacy Practices; a document you receive upon appointment check-ins.
How is My Data Used?
CRISP follows all federal and state laws and will only share your data for the following purposes: healthcare treatment, care coordination, quality improvement, public health, and research. CRISP does not share any of your information for payment or marketing purposes.
CRISP only allows providers to use healthcare information the CRISP Clinical Advisory Committee believes will help improve healthcare. The approved purposes for using data are listed below. Future uses of your information approved by the Clinical Advisory Board will be added to the list below.
How does CRISP protect my sensitive health information?
CRISP follows all state and federal privacy laws to keep your healthcare information safe. Providers using CRISP promise to protect your data and only share it with people who are allowed to see it. Everyone who accesses your data must follow these privacy laws, including HIPAA, the main law that controls how health information is shared. You can learn more about HIPAA on the
CDC’s website.
Keeping your data secure is one of CRISP’s top priorities. We use advanced tools to protect your information, like regular system checks, security tests, and monitoring to ensure everything stays safe. We also work with a group of experts and patients who help guide how we handle privacy and security.
CRISP is regularly reviewed and certified to meet the highest security standards so your data stays private and is only used to help improve your care.
You read more on how CRISP Protects your data in this
FAQ document.
Health Information Resources
Treatment
Care Coordination
Public Health
Quality Improvement
Research
Hospital Reports
Your Rights
What Health Information Rights Do I Have?
State and federal laws give you specific rights about your health data and whether it is shared through CRISP. You have the right to:
Request a list of people who have viewed your healthcare information. To make the request, use the
online form
or download the
PDF
Opt-out of CRISP. To make the request, use the
online form.
Be notified if your information has been viewed by an unauthorized person.
Can I Opt-Out of CRISP?
If you do NOT want CRISP to share your health information, you can
opt-out
of CRISP
at any time. If you opt-out, doctors and nurses will not be able to search for your Health Records through the HIE, and your information will not be available in the event of an emergency. Your records will not be used for research or quality improvement. Any information a doctor may have seen in CRISP and entered into your medical record before you opted out will stay in your medical record with that doctor but will not be shared through CRISP. You can also choose to opt-out of having your data used for research only. If you choose the “Research Only” opt-out option, your data will still be shared through the HIE for uses related to your clinical care, but it will not be available to researchers for approved clinical studies as part of the
CRISP Research Initiative
Your doctors will still have the option to select CRISP to get your data sent directly to them from labs. Also, Maryland law does not allow you to opt-out of public health reporting, such as reporting specific diseases to public health officials. CRISP is required to make these reports even if you have opted out.
The Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is also required by law, so information about your prescriptions will still be shared on the CRISP HIE network even if you have opted out.
How Do I Opt-Out?
Opting out of the CRISP HIE network is easy. You can do it three ways:
Submit the
online application
Give us a call at
877-952-7477
Mail us your
completed form
to: CRISP PO Box 1152 Columbia, MD 21044-9997
Can I access my health data?
CRISP has partnered with Carequality to enable access to your health information from your different providers while giving you a choice in personal health applications (PHA) to use once your identity is confirmed.
CRISP patient records from participation health care organizations can be accessed by an Personal Health Application of your choosing that is connected to
Carequality
Carequality
—a national healthcare data exchange network—recently developed a process to enable patients, using a validated mobile or web-based PHA connected to Carequality, to access any of their own health data available on the exchange, including data in CRISP. By partnering with Carequality for patient access, patients can use apps or services of their choice that are connected to Carequality to get their health records from providers that work with CRISP as well as the entire Carequality National Network.
Using a Personal Health Application (PHA)
This approach enables you to access your health data from all your providers while giving you a choice in PHAs. To check if a PHA can connect to your health information in CRISP, visit
Carequality
Personal Health Application Vendor Example:
Selfiie
Please visit:
Frequently Asked Questions
on Selfiie’s website and navigate to “How Do I Sign Up.”
To get started: Go to
app.selfiie.com
, click “Sign Up,” and follow the steps. To search for your records, you’ll need to verify your identity. You will need a cellphone with a camera and the ability to be verified through CLEAR so the patient will also need a valid gov’t issued ID driver’s license, passport, U.S. Visa etc.
*** CRISP does not endorse any specific patient health data access vendor. Selfiie is provided as an example of a patient facing application with identity validation that could be used to access your consolidated health data through Carequality.
Why We Chose This Solution
CRISP relies on Carequality as the access point for personal health applications (PHAs) because the network sets consistent rules that all PHAs must follow to exchange data. As a result, CRISP only allows an application to access your information if the application has agreed to follow
Carequality’s requirements
, including requirements around identity verification. Looking for help reviewing apps that connect you to your health information? The
CARIN Alliance
works to ensure healthcare consumers and their authorized caregivers can securely access health data digitally. CARIN has created a trust framework and code of conduct for PHAs. You can find a list of participating PHA companies and details about the code of conduct on the CARIN Alliance website.
Click here to download this information.
Creating and Sharing Your Advance Directive
Regardless of health status, everyone over the age of 18 is encouraged to think about and document their values and treatment preferences to guide future medical decisions about their care. This includes appointing a health care agent. Thinking about the types of treatment you would or wouldn’t like to receive and potential outcomes is important before a medical crisis occurs. Start the conversation with people you trust. Document your preferences in an advance directive, and then talk to your health care provider about securely storing a copy in their electronic health record system. You can also consider creating and storing your advance directive in an online service like MyDirectives.com.
Pursuant to Maryland regulations (COMAR § 10.25.19), the Maryland Health Care Commission maintains rigorous
criteria
, including privacy and security standards, for recognizing advance directive services that are authorized to connect to CRISP, the Maryland-designated Health Information Exchange.  Currently, the following services have been recognized by the Maryland Health Care Commission and vetted through its criteria (COMAR 10.25.19).
MyDirectives.com
By clicking on the above link, you are being routed to a state-recognized electronic advanced directive service that may share your advance directive with the state-designated Health Information Exchange.
More information about how to get started with your advance directive, including sample forms, is available on the
Maryland Attorney General’s website
Additional Resources
Health Information Exchange Resources
Benefits of Health Information Exchanges
Frequently Asked Questions About Health Information Technology
Frequently asked Questions About Health Information Exchanges
Advance Directives Information Sheet
SUD FAQs For Patients CRISP
Sensitive Health Information Consumer FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I control who sees my information in CRISP?
Yes, patients can choose not to make their data available in CRISP. This action is called opting-out. If you
opt-out
of CRISP, none of your data will be shared with any healthcare provider you see for your care. You cannot pick and choose which healthcare providers you want to see your data and which ones you do not. Your data may still be shared for public health reporting and the Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), even if you opt-out of CRISP. PDMP and public health reporting are required by law.
If I have opt-ed out, can I opt back into CRISP?
Yes, you can opt-in to CRISP at any time. Patients who want to opt back into CRISP should call the Support Line at
877-952-7477
. The patient will need to give the support team the same information they gave when they opted out.
Does CRISP share my health information with employers?
No. CRISP does not share any of your information with employers.
Can my information be seen in an emergency?
Maryland law lets healthcare providers view all their healthcare information in an emergency.
The law says an emergency is:
When your healthcare provider believes it is necessary to prevent a serious threat to the health or safety of others.
When your healthcare provider believes it is necessary to prevent or respond to imminent and serious harm to your health.
If you opt out of CRISP, your health information will not be shared in the case of an emergency.
How will my information be shared in a statewide emergency?
The CRISP Family Reunification Portal will activate in the event of a mass casualty or state of emergency. During a declared state of emergency, patients and family members might get transported to different hospitals based on their needs. The Family Reunification Portal enables emergency responders to access your hospital encounter data (not other clinical data) to help locate individuals transported to a hospital. The Family Reunification portal will only be available for emergency response for the duration of the emergency and then deactivated once the event is over.
Is my information shared with doctors outside of Maryland?
Yes. CRISP partners with other regional Health Information Exchanges. Doctors in bordering states, who may have a treatment relationship with you, may view your information through CRISP. CRISP interstate sharing of data allows providers to access your health information if you receive care across states. Interstate sharing is vital in the case of an emergency where you might not be able to tell providers your medical history.
Does CRISP share information about my addiction treatment?
Federal rules
say that an addiction treatment provider needs your consent before they share information about your addiction treatment. Information about substance use related to an emergency room visit is not covered by this law and may be shared without your okay unless you are opted out of CRISP.
How do I know if my doctor participates with CRISP?
Your doctor or healthcare provider must inform you if they share data with CRISP or look at your information through CRISP. This note is included in the Notice of Privacy Practices you receive when you check in at a hospital or health care provider’s office. They will also have CRISP materials in the waiting room.
How far back will my online records go?
CRISP began sharing information in 2010. Since then, more healthcare providers have been sharing information with CRISP. You may have records from as long ago as 2010. Ask your healthcare provider when they started sending data to CRISP and what types of information they sent.
How is my health information protected from unauthorized users?
Each healthcare provider, including hospitals participating with CRISP, must train their users on HIPAA and CRISP Policies and Procedures to ensure that your information is accessed only in accordance with federal and state law and CRISP policies. You can find more information about who might have access to your health data and for what reasons they can access it
here
What do I do if I think an unauthorized person viewed my records?
Contact CRISP support at
877-952-7477
immediately, and we will investigate it. You can also talk to your doctor who participates with CRISP.
Can I see the information CRISP has about me?
CRISP does not have a way to share information with patients. CRISP is working on the technology that will allow us to process patient requests for their health information available through CRISP. This process will include validating the requester’s identity and relationship with the patient. In the meantime, you can ask your healthcare provider what information they share with CRISP.
What can I do if there is a mistake in the information CRISP has about me?
You should talk to your doctor or health care provider if you believe a mistake is in your medical record. They created your medical record and are the only ones who can change it. You can contact CRISP, and we can give you a list of health care providers who have shared information about you, but CRISP cannot change your medical record.
Do health insurance companies have access to my data?
Yes, your current health insurance company (or payor) CAN access your data via CRISP for care coordination, care management, and quality improvement purposes. Your insurance company CAN NOT access your medical records via CRISP for benefit or eligibility determination.
Do my providers know if I have opted-out?
No, CRISP does not notify your providers if you have opted out of CRISP. This policy may change in the future to improve their understanding of why there may be no information available about you via the network.
Can a person under the age of 18 opt-out of CRISP?
Under Maryland law, any patient that can legally consent to health services can opt out of CRISP. The parent or guardian may opt-out for those patients who cannot legally consent to health services because they are a minor. You can find more information on how to opt out above on this page. Patients cannot opt out of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) or mandated public health reporting.
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Columbia, MD 21044-9997
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