Electronic Patient Discharge Notifications Now Available

CHOP is now able to send discharge notifications to patients’ primary care providers electronically. These electronic documents, called Continuity of Care Documents or CCDs, will contain all the information you already receive from CHOP as well as other Meaningful Use mandated items. CCDs are both human and computer readable, so your EMRs will be able to incorporate medications, allergies and other problems into your patients’ charts.

To receive CCDs from CHOP you need to have a secure email address that uses the “direct” standard. It is commonly referred to as a “direct address” and is most often provided by your EMR vendor.

On CHOP’s behalf, HealthShare Exchange of Southeastern Pennsylvania (HSX) is asking ambulatory practices to participate and contribute their direct addresses at no cost to its Master Provider Directory. If you have questions about receiving electronic CCDs, have a direct address already or would like to set up a direct address, contact Jennifer Natale, Senior Manager of Engagement & Adoption, at 215.422.4322 or jennifer.natale@hsxsepa.org.

If you don’t have a direct address, you will continue to receive faxed versions of the discharge summaries. These faxed documents now mirror the CCD – replacing the previous fax discharge notifications – and may be longer and more detailed that what you’ve received in the past.