RHIO Implements New Service Changes During Pandemic

Rochester RHIO is pleased to announce that ALL COVID-19 lab results, regardless of where they are processed, are available in the RHIO Explore clinical query portal, your patient information connection. 

If a patient resides in the Rochester RHIO’s 14-county region (Finger Lakes and Southern Tier), then COVID-19 lab results are available in the Explore patient record, regardless of whether or not the results are processed in another region or outside of New York State. Previously, these results did not show if they were processed by external data sources, particularly from out of state. Rochester RHIO now receives this information daily from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and inserts it into the community patient record. 

In addition, RHIO has COVID-19 Alerting services available for interested participants. Participants can elect to receive a real-time notification regarding both positive and negative results. RHIO also makes a daily downloadable COVID-19 public health report available for all county health departments through its Provider Portal. 

Some other RHIO services have also changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rochester RHIO now has a verbal consent policy in place for telehealth services for the duration of the state’s public health emergency. If a patient has not previously provided affirmative, written consent for a clinician to look up their information in Rochester RHIO, then a telehealth provider can document affirmative, verbal consent inside of RHIO’s Explore clinical query portal. However, verbal consent is not considered durable under state law, and must be obtained during each telehealth visit with the patient. For more information on this and other changes, go to rochesterrhio.org. 

More: COVID-19 Resources