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HEALTH PASSPORT A Project of the Western Governors' Association - Frequently Asked Questions - |
Introduction to the Health Passport Project
What is the Health Passport Project?
The Health Passport Project is a three-city demonstration that uses what is called a "smart card" to put important health-related information at the fingertips of mothers and their children. People participating in the demonstration are those eligible for care under public health programs. The Health Passport Project is the largest health-care demonstration in the United States for smart cards and will be conducted over two years in the cities of Bismarck, North Dakota; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Reno, Nevada. The project will demonstrate how people can use these electronic cards to give up-to-date information to their health-care providers, including physicians, nurses, nutritionists and early childhood educators. The demonstration will also determine whether use of the Health Passport will simplify and improve access to health services, resulting in healthier moms and kids. Initially, the Health Passport will be given to an estimated 25,000 pregnant women, mothers and children eligible for a variety of public health programs.
What is the project trying to accomplish?
The Health Passport Project has four key goals. One is to reduce health-care costs--in terms of time and money-- for patients and health-care providers by having accurate information where it is needed, when it is needed. Another goal is to improve the quality of care by giving patients better access to the care for which they are eligible, and by reducing gaps and duplication in patient records so they get the right care. The project also aims to give individuals more control over this information so they can take more responsibility for their health and the health of their family. Finally, the Health Passport Project hopes to improve "customer satisfaction" with public health services.
Who is involved?
The project is being sponsored by the Western Governors' Association, which represents the governors of 18 Western states, two territories and one commonwealth. Governors of the HPP participating states are Gov. Jim Geringer of Wyoming, Gov. John Hoeven of North Dakota, and Gov. Kenny Guinn of Nevada. Major public health agencies are participating, including Women, Infants and Children (WIC); Head Start; Immunizations; Maternal and Child Health; and Medicaid. Health-care providers in the demonstration communities are also closely involved. The women and children who are eligible for these public health programs, their health-care providers, and grocery stores (for nutrition benefits) will be trying out the Health Passport card to see if it's a better way to do business.
Who Will Benefit?
Mothers and Children
The Health Passport will be convenient, easy to use and secure. Mothers, particularly those who are clients in more than one public health program, will no longer have to repeatedly fill out forms and worry about having the correct or most current medical information for themselves and their children. The Health Passport will verify their eligibility for care and identify other public health services that are available, provide a reminder for doctors' appointments and referrals, maintain accurate and current immunization records, and provide electronic access to contact names and phone numbers for health-care providers. Complete, accurate information will help clients keep appointments and avoid duplication of costly and invasive tests. Access to all this information will be controlled by the client through the use of a personal identification number (PIN)--a code selected by the user--and by other security and privacy measures.
Health-care Providers
Physicians and other health-care providers will have greater certainty that a patient's health record is more complete and accurate, particularly for those clients who see many different providers. Because there is significant linkage among programs, the Health Passport will also improve communication and data sharing among providers. For example, a child issued a Health Passport when enrolled in WIC may also be referred to the Head Start program for preschool services and to a family physician for a medical assessment. As the child is seen, each provider would record appropriate information on the Health Passport. They would be able to share basic information such as a name, date of birth and address. However, a WIC nurse or Head Start case worker would only be able to access that portion of the doctor's findings that are relevant to each agency's needs, such as the child's immunization records. This data gathering and linkage of services is especially important in rural areas where health and human services providers are rarely located close by.
Food Retailers
Grocers who handle thousands of checks for nutrition benefits will find the new system involves less paperwork, results in quicker check-out, and provides more timely reimbursement. The Health Passport works like a bank card at the check-out counter. Distribution of WIC benefits will be demonstrated in Reno and Cheyenne.
More About the Demonstrations
Which public health programs are participating?
Bismarck, North Dakota: Family Medical Center South, Bismarck Burleigh Public Health; add Health Tracks(EPSDT), WIC, Head Start, Immunizations, Medicaid, the Optimal Pregnancy Outcome Program, and Maternal and Child Health
Cheyenne, Wyoming: Cheyenne Children's Clinic, Laramie County Public Health Nursing, Medicaid, WIC, Head Start, Maternal and Child Health, and Immunizations
Reno, Nevada: WIC, Immunizations, Inter-Tribal Council of NV WIC,and Head Start
Who is paying for Health Passport?
The project is being paid for by organizations interested in using new technologies to improve health care. These include state and federal public-health agencies, foundations, and local partners such as health-care providers.
More About Smart Cards
What is a smart card?
A smart card looks like a bank card and contains a computer chip to store information that can be read when the cardholder authorizes its use.
Why is the Health Passport more convenient than what is done now?
The Health Passport will allow clients to keep important information that comes from several different health-care providers in one place. By storing this information on the Health Passport, clients and their health-care providers will no longer have to worry about paperwork moving from clinic to clinic, or doing without.
Where can the card be used?
The Health Passport can be used at any participating clinic, doctor's office, or grocery store; at Head Start; and at Health Passport kiosks.
What is a kiosk?
Kiosks are easy-to-use, electronic information booths that will be located throughout the communities where the Health Passport demonstration will take place. Clients will be able to view and print out information from the card by following the instructions on the kiosk's touch screen.
What information will be on the Health Passport?
The Health Passport will include demographic information, such as an address and phone number; health information that is routinely shared between health-care providers like height, weight, and immunizations; the location date and time for follow-up appointments; and, in Nevada and Wyoming, WIC food benefits.
How will this information get on the card?
The information will be recorded by participating health-care providers from their existing records and after each appointment to bring the card up to date. Health Passport will not add to or change the type of information that is currently collected by health-care providers; it will simply make this information more easily available while ensuring security and complete privacy.
Who controls the information on the Health Passport?
The cardholder controls the information on the card with a personal identification number (PIN). The PIN is the client's secret five-digit number that unlocks the information on the card. Without a PIN, nothing on the card can be read.
Who has access to the information on the card?
The cardholder and participating health-care providers--with the cardholder's consent--are the only people with any access to information on the card. By entering a secret PIN into a card reader, the client will be giving a health-care provider the ability to view specific information appropriate to that provider. This information will be "unlocked" by the combination of the client's PIN and the provider's PIN. Based on the unique combination of these two PIN's, the provider will have access to only that information authorized for that person. For example, an administrative person will have access only to an address and phone number, a nurse may be able to see selected test results, while a doctor may be able to see more complete medical information. A food retailer will see no information and will only be allowed to download authorized WIC food benefits. This system prevents unauthorized individuals from looking at confidential information.
Can a client deny someone access to information on the card?
Yes. As is the case now, clients will provide basic information needed by each program to deliver service. While some information will be shared across programs, clients will be able to determine what information each health-care provider can see by authorizing what is written to the card and who may see it.
Will information be reported to anyone else?
No. Information is stored on the card for the client's convenience. The client controls the information through access to the card and the PIN.
How does the client know that the information on the card is correct?
A client will have the right to preview information written to the card by a health-care provider. Health information will be placed on the card by health-care providers. Clients will also be able to check the information on the card at any time by using a Health Passport kiosk or by printing out the information at a participating health-care provider.
What happens once the demonstration is over?
The demonstration will be rigorously and independently evaluated to determine if it should be expanded to other cities and states throughout the region.
Site Manger
Bertie Bishop
(701) 255-0128
e-mail: bbishop@gcentral.com
Project Manager
Terry Williams
(307) 777-6008
e-mail: twilli@missc.state.wy.us
Project Manager
Chris McKinnon
303 623-9378
cmck@westgov.org