INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOCTORS

Overview of KatrinaHealth.org

There is a critical need to provide physicians and pharmacists who are treating Hurricane Katrina evacuees with access to the evacuees' prescription drug and dosage information, so that medications can be renewed and potential medication errors avoided. With the assistance of federal, state and local governments, KatrinaHealth.org, a secure website operated by private organizations, provides authorized physicians and pharmacists with access to evacuees' medication histories to the extent obtainable.

KatrinaHealth.org allows authorized health professionals with a secure means to assist Katrina evacuees who do not have access to or do not recall their medication histories. Once authorized to use KatrinaHealth.org, health professionals are able to access an evacuee's medication history from the following sources:
  • Louisiana and Mississippi Medicaid
  • Commercial pharmacies
  • Pharmacy Benefit Managers
The information provided on KatrinaHealth.org is meant to complement, not substitute for, complete information provided to the physician or pharmacist by his or her patient. Medication information pertaining to selected sensitive health care conditions is not available through KatrinaHealth.org.

Who can use KatrinaHealth.org

KatrinaHealth.org is available only to actively licensed US physicians and pharmacists.

Getting Started: Obtaining User ID and Password

If you are a licensed physician and are treating a Katrina Hurricane evacuee, you are permitted to use the system.

To receive a login and password, please contact the American Medical Association's (AMA) Unified Service Center at 1-800-262-3211. This call center is available 24 hours a day. Physicians will be asked specific questions to validate their identity and credentials

Upon answering these questions a login and password will be provided which can be used to access the website immediately via https://secure.empowerx.com/pharmacy and the link to KatrinaHealth.org at the bottom of the page. (For more details on how pharmacists access KatrinaHealth.org, please call 1-866-797-3239.)

Using KatrinaHealth.org to Treat Evacuees

When treating an evacuee, an authorized user of KatrinaHealth.org will be prompted to enter the evacuee's first name, last name, date of birth, pre-Katrina residence zip code and gender. If the evacuee's information is available in KatrinaHealth.org, the health provider will see a link to the following information:
  • Quantity and day supply
  • The pharmacy that filled the script (if available)
  • The provider that wrote the script
  • Drug information, such as indication and dosage, administration and interactions.
When using the system, please keep in mind the following considerations:
  • The medication information should only be used to supplement your assessment of a patient's medication history. It is provided as a reference, not an authoritative list.
  • The data may have errors of duplication or omission, as it has been collected from multiple sources and may not be current or comprehensive.
  • The medication information does not include medication information relating to selected sensitive health care conditions, including the classes of medications approved or commonly used to treat mental illness, chemical dependencies or HIV/AIDS The consortia supporting KatrinaHealth.org are working on a system of patient permission for access to such information.
  • Not all evacuees' information is in KatrinaHealth.org. The consortia supporting KatrinaHealth.org are working to identify and link information from additional sources.
  • KatrinaHealth.org provides "Read Only" access and information in the system can not be modified or otherwise changed by the treating health professional.
  • Use of KatrinaHealth.org is rigorously monitored and tracked. Periodic audits of the system will be conduct to identify and address any unusual use. In addition, a complete record of the physicians who used the system and the names of the evacuees whose information was accessed will be kept.
Getting Assistance
  • For information on how to obtain a password and login, please call the American Medical Association's Unified Service Center at 1-800-262-3211. For information on the HIPAA Privacy Rule and its relationship to the relief efforts, see http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/EnforcementStatement.pdf.
  • For information on technical issues on the use of the system, please call the KatrinaHealth.org Support Center 1-800-375-0943 ext. 504.


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