Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL    PROVIDERS    PRIVACY

What is Connie?

Connie is an independent nonprofit healthcare technology company enabled by state statute to make sure that all providers have access to the right data, at the right place, at the right time. Connie helps ensure that providers and their staff don’t have to waste precious time searching for data and information on their patients from other providers and can, instead, focus on their patients. We also are required to give patients access to their health data at no cost which is why – now that we have so many providers onboarded to Connie – we will be rolling out a patient portal later this year.

A 2021 survey in the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that 1 in 3 seniors see at least 5 doctors a year. A 2010 study conducted by Practice Fusion found that the average number of doctors seen over a lifetime for the participants was 18.7.

Why do we need an HIE when everyone’s on Epic?

There are more than 277 different EMRs in this state – and entire pockets of the healthcare ecosystem that are not on Epic. Without a functioning, sustainable HIE that all providers are required to participate in, data stays siloed and fragmented leading to skyrocketing costs, continued inequity in healthcare, and burnt-out clinicians. Connecting to Connie affords all providers the opportunity to have access to critical data on their patients which enables patients to have choice in their providers. Connecting to Connie enables independent practices to have access to the same data and information that their colleagues in large healthcare systems have.

What is the value of a Health Information Exchange (HIE)?

A Health Information Exchange will help doctors, hospitals and other health care providers give patients faster, better care.  Connie  offers fast, secure access to health data. For example, if a patient  in an emergency room is unable to answer questions, the doctor or nurse could check  Connie  to assess patient  allergies or medical conditions that would affect their treatment. 

A Health Information Exchange may also lower health care costs by  preventing repeated tests, because doctors can see results from previous tests or labs through Connie. 

GENERAL  PROVIDERS  PRIVACY

Where can I find more information about the State mandate and Connie?

The Office of Health Strategy website has information about the statewide HIE and what it means to connect and participate with it – link here.

Are health systems and hospitals required to participate in Connie?

According to Connecticut state statute, all licensed healthcare providers in the state of Connecticut were required to apply to begin the process of connecting to and participating in Connie by May 3, 2023. Providers and organizations who did not complete that application process by the deadline may still apply to begin the process. Once an organization has applied, an Account Manager will reach out to complete the next steps of the onboarding process. 

How do I connect my organization with Connie?

If you are a healthcare organization and are interested in learning more about connecting with  Connie,  please call us at 1-888-783-4410 or fill out our online form here.

If you are a healthcare provider, there is no cost to participate with or receive data from Connie at this time.  To participate with Connie, you are required to send clinical data that your EHR is capable of sending through an integration with Connie.  We will work with your EHR vendor to determine their integration capabilities.  In some instances, there may be fees from your EHR vendor (or their integration partner).

You can view Connie’s use cases here.

How does Connie protect patient privacy? 

Connie complies with all federal and state laws and regulations on data sharing and privacy. This is codified in Connie’s enabling legislation, its contract with OHS to perform its functions as the state-designated HIE, and its data sharing agreements with its participating organizations. Connie has a Data Release Policy available on its website that details the circumstances under which Connie shares data and an active Privacy, Security, and Confidentiality Committee of its board to provide oversight over Connie’s programs.

Connie is a voluntary benefit for Connecticut’s residents – they have the option of opting out of Connie and have had that option since we began, even before we had any data. Additionally, all patients have the right to request an Accounting of Disclosures to see who has had access to their information in Connie.

How does Connie protect reproductive health data specifically in the case of a subpoena? 

By state law and Connie’s own policies, Connie cannot provide any information nor contribute in any way to civil or criminal inquiries of a patient’s legal reproductive services in Connecticut.

Does Connie share data nationally? 

Yes, in keeping with our mission of enhancing the health and well-being of Connecticut’s residents, we connect with national networks so that our patients’ data is accessible by their treating providers no matter where they receive care. Similarly, we don’t want the burden of relaying clinical information to fall solely on a patient who receives care out of state – that data can be accessible to that patient’s Connecticut-based provider.

If you share data nationally, how are you ensuring that reproductive health data, or other sensitive data, isn’t being used inappropriately?

There are several laws at both the Federal and state level that govern who can access a patient’s healthcare data including reproductive health or other sensitive data. Further the data sharing agreements for all the national networks stipulate that data can only be accessed for specific permitted purposes – in this case, treatment. Simply put, it’s illegal to query a patient’s record through national exchanges for anything other than treatment purposes or for individual access (meaning a patient requesting access to their data through a third-party app). Connie is in the same boat as all provider organizations who currently share and have shared clinical data through private HIEs, like Epic’s CareEverywhere or national networks and frameworks like Carequality and eHealth Exchange. 

Is my information secure?

Connie’s  health information exchange has undergone rigorous security review and assessment. It conforms with the industry’s best practices in security, such as HITRUST certification. All of its users are required to comply with HIPAA requirements for privacy and security.

Who can access my information?

Only users specifically authorized by  Connie and its participating organizations can access data through the HIE. Any user accessing health information through  Connie  must have a specific reason to do so, such as providing treatment to the person whose health information they are accessing. Careful records are kept on any health information accessed through  Connie.  All participating health organizations must sign a legally binding document that identifies the extensive requirements for privacy, confidentiality and security of the information accessible through  Connie.

Can I control who sees my information in Connie?

You can control whether or not you want your data shared through Connie to authorized users who have a declared relationship with you, such as your doctor or your hospital. However, you can not pick and choose which healthcare providers who are authorized to view your information in Connie have access to your information. You may choose not to make your data available in  Connie. This is called opting-out. If you opt-out of  Connie,  none of your data will be shared with any healthcare provider that you see for your care.

How far back do my online records go?

Connie  began collecting information in January 2021. It is possible that you may have records from 2019 in  Connie.  Ask your healthcare provider when they began sending information to  Connie,  and what types of information was shared.

Can I see the information Connie has about me?

Connie  does not have a way to share information with patients yet. You can ask your healthcare provider what information they share with  Connie.

Can groups buy access to my data?

Connie does not sell access to data to anyone, group, or company in any way that circumvents state or federal laws protecting your data.

What can I do if there is a mistake in the information Connie has about me?

If you believe there is a mistake in your medical record, you should talk to your doctor or health care provider since they created your medical record and are the only ones authorized to make changes. You can contact  Connie,  and we supply you with a list of health care providers who have shared information about you, but  Connie cannot change your medical record.

How do I know if my doctor participates with Connie?

Per state statute, all healthcare organizations are required to participate with Connie. Timeframes for connectivity to Connie vary. To see a list of organizations who currently share information with Connie, click here.
Your healthcare organization may let you know that they’re sharing data with Connie in a variety of ways including through their Notice of Privacy Practices, by updating language on their website, or by posting information where you can see it.

What if I don’t want to share my clinical information through Connie?

You can opt out of  Connie  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. If you want to opt out,  click here to fill the opt-out form.

Does Connie share my health information with employers? 

No.  Connie  does not share any of your information with employers.

Does Connie 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. The rules do allow your treatment provider to share your demographic information with Connie so they can access relevant information from your other providers to help support your treatment—e.g. if you’ve recently been to the emergency department and your SUD provider needs to follow up with you to support your recovery. Connie does not share demographic information provided by your SUD treatment provider without explicit patient consent. Information about substance use related to an emergency room visit is not covered by this law and HIPAA does allow that to be shared without your explicit consent for specific permitted purposes unless you are opted out of Connie.

Do health insurance companies have access to my data?

Yes, if your current health insurance company is connected to Connie,  they can access your data via  Conniefor care coordination and management and for quality improvement purposes. Your insurance company cannot access your medical records via  Conniefor benefit or eligibility determination.

Will insurance companies have access to the same data that my provider sees?

No. Health insurance companies will only have access to data they are eligible to see under current state and federal laws. Due to laws protecting patients from insurance decisions based on pre-existing conditions, insurance companies will only have access to data during the time period they are insuring a patient.

What happens if I Opt Out?

Any health information that is in the HIE at the time a consumer opts out will be removed from the HIE and no further information will be collected or shared by the HIE. 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. However, any information that a provider may have seen in  Connieand entered into your medical record before you opted-out will stay in your medical record with that provider, but will not be shared through  Connie.

Do my providers know if I have opted-out?

No, currently  Conniedoes not notify your providers if you have opted out of  Connie.  In the future this may change, and your providers may be notified if you have optedout. This will help your health providers improve their understanding of why there may be no information available about you via the network.

Can insurance companies use Connie for claims payments?

There is no current or planned Use Case for providers and payers to use Connie to pay claims.

Will providers send PDMP my data through the HIE, even if I opt-out of the HIE?

Opting out of Connie will not impact a patient’s prescription history in the PDMP. Connecticut PDMP is maintained by the Department of Consumer Protection. Connie may become another means by which a provider can view data in the PDMP, but PDMP data will not be exchanged through Connie. Opting out of Connie will not impact patient data entered into DCP’s PDMP database because (1) the data is only viewed in Connie, not stored; and (2) PDMP data is required by law and patients are not able to opt out of PDMP data being shared.

 Can patients opt out of sharing information about medication history?

If a patient opts out of Connie, they are opted out of every aspect of data sharing that is not otherwise required by law. This means that, when a consumer opts out of Connie, some, but not all, of their medication history will be deleted. The notable exception is prescriptions including in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, as they required by law to be report despite a patient’s privacy preference.

If I opt-out, how would hospitals and providers share my information across different health systems if not through the HIE?

If you opt out of Connie, it only means that your providers cannot access your information through Connie, it does not mean that you have opted out of providers sharing your health information in other ways. Hospitals and providers have been sharing patient information through email, fax and phone prior to the development of HIEs. This would likely continue in the absence of sending data through Connie. You will need to opt out with your provider as well if you do not want your health information shared in any format.

I have opted-out, can I go back into Connie?

Yes, you can opt-in to  Connie  at any time. Patients who want to opt back in, or have any questions, should call Connie Customer Support at 866-987-5514.

Unfortunately, we cannot retrieve the information we deleted when you opted out so your historical clinical information will not be in  Connie.

Can a person under the age of 18 opt-out of Connie?

In accordance with Connecticut law, any patient that can legally consent to health services can opt out ofConnie.  Accordingly, children under the age of 13 need to have a parent or guardian opt-out for them. Because children age 13-17 are permitted to consent to some health services in Connecticut, either the parent/guardian or the child (between the age of 13-17) can opt themselves out.

If I opt-out, does that cover everything?

No. There are some limited and specific instances where the opt-out choice does not apply:

  • Public Health Reporting: Certain information is required to be reported by providers to public health agencies, such as monitoring disease trends, conducting outbreak investigations, and responding to public health emergencies. In these specific cases,  Connie  may be used as the mechanism for the provider to report this information. Also, Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) information, as part of the Connecticut Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), will continue to be available through the HIE to licensed providers once that service becomes available through the HIE.
  • Direct Messaging: Healthcare providers will still be able to share your information with each other, unless you have removed information sharing consent with them as well. Opting Out of  Connie  only stops providers from searching  Connie’s records for your data. Some providers may still use  Connie  to send information about their patients to each other directly. This is the same as when providers share information by fax or by mail.
  • As Required by Law: The HIE may access, use or disclose your health information as required by law, regulation, court order or legal process.
  • For Connie’s Internal Management and Operations: In order for Connie to be able to maintain your decision to opt-out, we will need to maintain some basic demographic information including your name, date of birth, and address.

What do I do if I think an unauthorized person viewed my records?

Contact  Connie  Customer Support at 866-987-5514 immediately, and we will investigate. You can also talk to your provider who participates withConnie.