SMRTNET For Patients

SMRTNET, Secure Medical Records Transfer Network, is a system designed to improve your participation in your own health care, improve your medical safety, save you time, and potentially decrease some of your medical expenses. All of these services are offered to you at no charge.

SMRTNET does this by allowing health information, which is in various paper and electronic medical records, to be electronically combined in one place so you and your providers can see all of your medical history at the same time. This is important in emergencies when getting your combined health information can be vital.

Who is SMRTNET?

SMRTNET was founded in 2005 by a collaborative of healthcare providers in northeast Oklahoma. Those providers include:

Healthcare providers across northeast and central Oklahoma are using SMRTNET to increase patient safety and enhance patient care. The Greater Oklahoma City Hospital Council supports SMRTNET by sponsoring the participation of 11 Oklahoma City area hospitals that utilize the network.

Why do you and your family need SMRTNET?

Right now, your health information is scattered among the many providers who are involved in your care. Scattered records threaten your safety because providers can’t see all of your current medications and conditions.

Paper records can be difficult to read and organize
For your safety, providers need to see all of your health information
Most patients have 5 – 12 different provider records
In the United States more people die from preventable medical errors than from breast cancer, car accidents or diabetes. SMRTNET can help prevent these errors
Faxing or mailing personal medical information is slow and costly

To help make your care safer and faster, SMRTNET brings your providers together. Each member provider of SMRTNET has made this paper system electronic. Now, your providers can send and view more health information faster.

*Source, Institute of Medicine, 1999

What type of information is NOT shared?

Some information is considered sensitive and NOT shared such as:

Information that is not supplied by providers
Family planning and communicable disease information for those under 18 years old
Certain mental health and substance abuse information
Psychotherapy notes
Information outside the SMRTNET system

How does SMRTNET protect the security and privacy of patient health information?

Over sixty Oklahoma and national experts, including nine attorneys, participated in the formation of the twenty-seven SMRTNET data security measures. A community based management committee monitors the network to ensure SMRTNET is used only for medical treatment and support as governed by federal and state laws and regulations.

SMRTNET exchanges health information under the same state and federal laws which regulate the faxing and mailing of medical information
Only providers enrolled in the network and currently treating you are permitted to see your information and all activity is recorded
Providers are restricted to viewing only necessary portions of your information, depending on their professional role. For example, a clerk cannot see your clinical information, just your demographics
Like banks, SMRTNET uses 128 bit encryption and is password protected

What if you do NOT want your information shared?

Even though there are many benefits to allowing your health care providers to see your health history through SMRTNET, you may opt-out of SMRTNET and your information will not be exchanged through SMRTNET. If you opt-out of SMRTNET, none of your SMRTNET health information will be available and your health provider will not be able to see your past health information such as drug allergies, and tests through SMRTNET. Your provider will then have to contact each of your providers individually and await their response by mail, phone, or fax which may delay your care.

If you still wish to opt-out of SMRTNET, please complete the Opt Out Request form and submit your request to SMRTNET for processing. Submission instructions are located at the bottom of the Opt-Out Request form. To ensure prompt processing, please fill out the form completely and legibly.

Opt-Out Revocation Request If you have previously submitted an Opt-Out Request to SMRTNET, you may revoke your Opt-Out Request at any time using the Opt-Out Revocation Request form. If you have not completed and submitted an Opt-Out Request, submitting an Opt-Out Revocation Request is not necessary.

SMRTNET Opt Out Request (120 KB)