FAQs

What is CyncHealth?
CyncHealth is Nebraska’s statewide health information exchange (HIE).  We are a forward-looking, fiscally responsible, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the quality and cost-efficiency of care by facilitating interchangeability and health information exchange to benefit providers and patients.
What is the purpose and overall responsibility of CyncHealth?
CyncHealth’s purpose is to bring trust and value to health information technology by creating solutions for moving health data forward.

CyncHealth provides a connection point for patient health information throughout the state of Nebraska by working with it’s vendors to securely connect patient data and allow members to access that data while maintaining the privacy, security, and accuracy of the information being exchanged.

CyncHealth complies with HIPAA rules, as do CyncHealth participants. Protecting the privacy and security of health information is the highest priority to CyncHealth and its participants. Health information is kept secure using many technical safeguards and administrative policies and procedures.

What information is in the Nebraska HIE?
The Nebraska HIE connects Participants or Participating Facilities by providing a bridge to access data from other Participants within Nebraska. The information within the HIE is accessed through a patient query that will then display any records that have been provided by Participants and Participating Facilities for the patient queried.

CyncHealth is continuously working with Participants and Participating Facilities to make improvements in the quality of data being provided to the Nebraska HIE. Working closely with healthcare leaders across the state CyncHealth strives to connect the state’s healthcare systems to provide the best continuity of care and help healthcare stakeholders fulfill their goals.

How does my healthcare organization connect to CyncHealth?
A healthcare organization that would like to become a participant within CyncHealth can reach out to support@nehii.org and request a participation agreement.
What type of clinical information may be sent or received through CyncHealth?
The following clinical information may be available to Participants and Participating Facilities through CyncHealth depending on what being shared with the HIE

  • Transcription notes (i.e. discharge summaries, histories and physicals, operative reports and emergency department reports)
  • Continuity of care documents (CCDs)
  • Immunization updates and queries
  • Consult reports
  • Lab & pathology results & ordering
  • Radiology reports & ordering
  • Public health alerts and notification
  • Admission, discharge and transfer information (ADT Alerts being implemented)
  • Medication history
  • Allergies
  • Vitals
  • Family history
  • Advance Directives
What is Direct Messaging?
Direct Messaging provides secure and encrypted email service that supports electronic communication between physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, other healthcare providers, care managers, and patients. This form of communication allows for the transmission of health information in a unidirectional flow using a secure, standardized, scalable, encrypted format and ensure that the information goes to the correct provider, organization or patient. As an email service, Direct Messaging provides reliable tracking of successful delivery of your messages to the intended recipients.
How is Direct Messaging Used?
There are two methods that can be implemented for Direct Messaging:

  • Electronically sending messages to one another by attaching and exchanging health information documentation through secure email over an internet connection
  • Integration of Direct Messaging with your EHR system to streamline the workflow process of sending/receiving summaries of care from within your EHR.
What are the Benefits of Direct Messaging?
  • Enhances transitions of care with direct communication to receiving providers.
  • Promotes care coordination activities that support value-based care delivery models, e.g.  Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs).
  • Provides a primary vehicle for delivery of event notifications and clinical continuity of care documentation within the HIE’s Patient Event Subscription (PES) service.
  • Facilitates fast, cost-effective exchange of patient health Information to augment/replace previous inadequate, outdated and more expensive forms of sharing information such as fax or delivery of paper charts.
  • Participants may send health data to any other individual or organization that is also a Direct participant outside of a formal Health Information Exchange or other private network.
  • Addresses are available from HISPs (Health Information Service Providers),are verifiable and “unspoofable”.
  • Is an initiative created and supported by the ONC and is Internet-friendly.
  • Addresses can be added to the statewide online Provider Directoryto facilitate information exchange amongst referral partners
  • Supports the ability of participants to meet key Stage 2 Meaningful Use objectives by providing an approved transport mechanism for:
    • Electronically sending and receiving summary care records for Transitions of Care or Referrals.
    • Providing patients with the ability to view, download, and transmit their health information.
What are the system requirements to use Direct Messaging?
For exchanging messages a user would need an internet connection and access to either the CyncHealth HIE or their EHR if the service is integrated.
How can I sign up for Direct Message?
Contact CyncHealth support at support@cynchealth.org or through our Contact Us form.