The County of Del Norte Department of Health and Human Services Behavioral Health Branch participates in the SacValley MedShare (SVMS) for the purposes of sharing your health care data through a Health Information Exchange (HIE). SacValley MedShare’s Health Information Exchange (SVMS HIE) enhances patient care by allowing doctors 24/7 access to critical information, fostering collaboration between specialists and primary care physicians. This enables the sharing of test results, coordination of care, and timely feedback, ultimately elevating the quality of healthcare, especially during evenings, weekends, and holidays when most healthcare organizations are closed.

Participating physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare-related entities, who all play a part in caring for you, may share your current health information through a secure, electronic health information network. Your participating healthcare providers will have access to your full patient record to include diagnosis, treatment, lab results, medications, etc., to deliver you the most efficient and thorough services possible. Your information is safe, the system is HIPAA compliant, and only those providers who need access to the information can do so.

PARTICIPATING PROVIDERS WILL NOT SHARE RECORDS RELATED TO:

(1) alcohol or substance abuse treatment programs or mental health treatment (or information likely to be used by such programs, unless you have provided specific consent to your provider for these records to be shared)
(2) emergency protective custody proceedings
(3) predictive genetic testing performed for genetic counseling purposes
(4) HIV testing
(5) STD testing or treatment of minors consented to by the minor

When it comes to your healthcare data and allowing providers to securely access your information to improve your health outcomes, you are in the driver’s seat.

You have the right to opt-out from having health records shared through the health information network using the SVMS Opt-Out Form:

SVMS HIE Opt-Out Form_English

SVMS HIE Opt-Out Form_Spanish

OPTING-OUT RISK EXPLANATION

If you do not want anyone – including your healthcare providers or any emergency department – to have access to your health information in SVMS HIE, please complete the opt-out form above, place it in a secure envelope, and return it to SVMS at the address provided. By mailing the completed opt-out form, you are requesting that SVMS no longer permit your health care providers - including emergency care providers - to have access to your health information contained in the HIE. SVMS offers this option as some patients desire it. We do not recommend opting-out. It is dangerous for physicians to treat you without knowing your health problems, medications, and allergies. If you elect to opt-out, your request will be acted upon within approximately five (5) business days after receipt by SVMS and will only apply to access after such date. You are welcome to opt back in at any time by completing an opt-out Revocation Form located below. However, any opt-back-in request from you may take up to five (5) business days after receipt by SVMS to be in effect. Also, SVMS may not have current health information to make available to your healthcare providers for some time after the effective date.

If you do choose to opt-out and later decide that you would like to participate, you will need to opt-in using the SVMS Opt-In Form:

SVMS HIE Opt-Out Revocation Form_English

SVMS HIE Opt-Out Revocation Form_Spanish

For more information, please refer to the SVMS Notice of Privacy Practices or visit www.sacvalleyms.org.

SVMS HIE_Notice of Privacy Practice_English

SVMS HIE_Notice of Privacy Practice_Spanish

To view all SVMS HIE participating providers and organizations, please click the link below:

Participating Providers and Organizations