ALCOAST 315/23 - SEP 2023 DIGITIZATION AND LONG-TERM STORAGE OF PAPER HEALTH RECORDS

R 061835Z SEP 23 MID600053325620U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 315/23
SSIC 6000
SUBJ: DIGITIZATION AND LONG-TERM STORAGE OF PAPER HEALTH RECORDS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC R 031302Z NOV 22/ALCOAST 439/22
B. Paper Health Records Data Digitization Procedural Guidance,
EHRAPMO-PG-23-002
1. This ALCOAST cancels REF (A).
2. This ALCOAST provides additional information regarding the data
migration effort for paper health records (PHR) at all clinics and
sickbays in the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard continues to digitize
and migrate all legacy PHR to a National Archives-approved central
repository managed by the Defense Health Agency called the
Health Artifact and Image Management Solution (HAIMS), which is
accessible to CG healthcare staff through Joint Longitudinal Viewer/
MHS GENESIS. This process will combine electronic and paper records
into a single repository, simplifying access to patient records for
healthcare staff across the Coast Guard, Department of Defense
(DOD), and Department of Veteran Affairs supporting provision of
care and obtaining veteran benefit claims.
3. The purpose of this ALCOAST is to educate service members and CG
healthcare staff on best practices for accessing health records
during this data migration period, and to provide guidance to active
and separating members on interfacing with the MHS GENESIS Patient
Portal.
4. REQUESTING TO VIEW OR OBTAIN A COPY OF A PATIENT'S RECORD:
The digitization effort began in November 2022 and is scheduled to
conclude in April 2024. REF (B) provides the Coast Guard Health
Record Custodians community guidance on the collection, inventory,
and local scanning of paper versions of Service Treatment Records
(STR), Non-service Treatment Records (NSTR), and Occupational Health
Treatment Records (OHTR). Member requested record reviews should
be minimized to the greatest extent possible during this process
to avoid introducing additional delays to the migration activities.
For members traveling to new duty stations during this period:
the member's PHR shall remain with the departing clinic/sickbay
for digitization to HAIMS. The departing clinic will send a digital
copy to the member's receiving clinic via DOD Secure Access File
Exchange (SAFE) to support continuity of care at the new duty
station IAW REF (B). If members have a critical need for a copy of
their record they should submit a request to their servicing clinic.
The timeframe associated with accessing the requested record may
vary depending on where the member's health record is in the data
migration process. Clinic/sickbay staff can find detailed steps to
support member requests for review of their official health record
in the Patient Requests for Records Job Aid on the following
website:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/:b:/s/cg9/3/3/eHRa/EeEqffHxdDFOowMVV
4xV5pgBmkUe_SLG1h3HTp769LCikQ?e=Ye7v0Q

5. INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN PATIENT PORTAL: The following member
health information is available via the Patient Portal,
accessible at the following website:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://patientportal.mhsgenesis.health.mil

    a. Medications.
    b. Immunizations.
    c. Current allergies.
    d. Health issues.
    e. COVID-19 results.
    f. Procedures.
    g. Scheduled appointments.
    h. Clinical notes which have been entered into MHS GENESIS.
To ensure the information your provider has is the most up to date
possible, please visit the patient portal and complete the health
history clipboard under the available clipboards section.
6. INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE IN PATIENT PORTAL: While the Patient
Portal provides important information, its application is limited to
care documented directly in MHS GENESIS. The following items are not
available for review in Patient Portal:
    a. PHRs that are digitized into HAIMS.
    b. Mental health or other notes deemed sensitive by care
provider.
    c. Radiological imagery.
    d. Veterans benefits information or status.
Please note that Patient Portal functionality is periodically
enhanced which will increase availability of information in the
patient portal. Please recall the processes to retrieve PHRs are
described in Section 4 of this ALCOAST.
7. Patient Access: Patients can access the Patient Portal on the
following website:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://myaccess.dmdc.osd.mil/identitymanagement/app/login

Service members are required to use one of the below means to gain
access to the Patient Portal:
    a. DS Logon Premier Access account.
    b. Common Access Card (CAC).
8. Clinic and sickbay staff assisting patients with Patient Portal
inquiries should refer to the Patient Portal Job Aid on the
following website:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/:b:/s/cg9/3/3/eHRa/EXjD9_EXTn5Bo5
GAQZtEstQBBDDWZ-WVLLaWSblfxADOiQ?e=4zVggd

9. Joint Health Information Exchange (JHIE) is a data sharing hub
between MHS GENESIS and a subset of enrolled commercial/Tricare
providers for electronically sharing medical information between
electronic health record systems. A list of all commercial providers
currently enrolled at the time of the release of this message is
provided below. Clinics can submit a change request ticket via
CGFixit to request the enrollment of additional commercial
providers to JHIE please use the following website:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Technology/Joint-HIE

10. eHRa POC: LCDR George Cabanas, COMDT (CG-9333),
SMB-COMDT-eHRa-Logistics@uscg.mil.
11. RADM D. L. Thomas, Assistant Commandant for Health, Safety, &
Work-Life (CG-1K), sends.
12. Internet release is authorized.