Member Education

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Interoperability and Patient Access final rule on March 9, 2020. This final rule requires Jai Medical Systems to implement and maintain a secure, standards-based Patient Access Application Programming Interface (API) that will allow you to easily access your healthcare data through third-party applications of your choice.

What is Interoperability and how can it help you?

Interoperability can help you access all your historical claims information at one place. With one single interface you will be able to retrieve your healthcare information including your past visits and clinical data which will help you to receive efficient and higher quality care.

What is an API?

API stands for application programming interface. It allows two applications to communicate with one another to access data. Every action you take on your phone, like sending a direct message, uses an API to access and deliver that information. An API is essentially a messenger that takes requests, translates, and returns responses. For example, when you sit down to order at a restaurant, the waiter takes your order, relays it to the kitchen, and returns with your food. In this scenario, the waiter acts as the API, or intermediary.

Easy questions that will help you make a quicker decision about using a third-party app:
  1. Who is offering the app? (e.g. Apple, Google, etc.)
  2. How is the app funded?
  3. Where does the app save your data?
  4. Does the app let you delete your data?
  5. Who has access to your data when you provide it to this app?
  6. How does the app developer use your data?

If you can find answers to the above questions before accessing the third-party app, then you can decide about using the app or not.

How to access your health information through third party apps:

When accessing your healthcare data through a third-party app, you may use the same credentials that you use for logging into the member portal on our website.

If you have not registered on the member portal, you can register here:
https://secure.healthx.com/v3app/publicservice/loginv1/login.aspx?bc=ea701886-d8dc-4151-b09c-b8a2d686fb5c&serviceid=583d633d-6767-415f-ad47-a83c88d57767

After logging into the member portal, you will be able to access your healthcare information.

Other factors to be considered before authorizing a third-party app to retrieve your health care data:

It is important for you to take an active role in protecting your health information by looking for an easy-to-read privacy policy that clearly explains how your data is going to be used. If an app is missing a privacy policy, please refrain from using the app. You should consider:

  • What health data will this app collect? Will this app collect non-health data from my device, such as my location?
  • Will my data be stored in a de-identified or anonymized form?
  • How will this app use my data?
  • Will this app disclose my data to third parties?
  • Will this app sell my data for any reason, such as advertising or research?
  • Will this app share my data for any reason? If so, with whom? For what purpose?
  • How can I limit this app’s use and disclosure of my data?
  • What security measures does this app use to protect my data?
  • What impact could sharing my data with this app have on others, such as my family members?
  • How can I access my data and correct inaccuracies in data retrieved by this app?
  • Does this app have a process for collecting and responding to user complaints?
  • If I no longer want to use this app, or if I no longer want this app to have access to my health information, how do I terminate the app’s access to my data?
  • What is the app’s policy for deleting my data once I terminate access? Do I have to do more than just delete the app from my device?
  • How does this app inform users of changes that could affect its privacy practices?

If the app’s privacy policy does not clearly answer these questions, you should reconsider using the app to access your health information. Health information is very sensitive information, and you should be careful to choose apps with strong privacy and security standards to protect it.

If you would like to connect your information to a third-party application or need any assistance understanding this information, please feel free to reach out to our Customer Service department at 1-888-JAI-1999 or CustomerService@jaimedical.com

If you are a third-party application wishing to register with our organization, please visit the Application Developers Portal.

What to do if you think your data has been breached:

If you think that your HIPAA privacy rights have been violated, you can contact our Customer Service Department at 1-888-JAI-1999/1-888-524-1999 or mail to the address below:
Jai Medical Systems
301 International Circle
Hunt Valley, MD 21030

You can also file a complaint with OCR under HIPAA.

To learn more about filing a complaint visit: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html

Individuals can file a complaint with OCR using the OCR complaint portal: https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf

Individuals can file a complaint with the FTC using the FTC complaint assistant: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/assistant