Privacy FAQ
What is the GA Notify?
The GA Notify service is a network of hospitals, health systems and health care providers across Georgia that are working together to help coordinate your care for better outcomes and the exchange of important healthcare information as close to real time as possible.
Why is the GA Notify service important to me?
The GA Notify service allows your health care providers to better communicate details about your hospital visits. Allowing your doctors to share your health information improves the coordination of the care you receive from your family doctor and other specialists.
How is my health information and privacy protected?
The GA Notify service follows all State and Federal laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), to protect patient health information. The GA Notify service meets or exceeds the national and state standards for the security of electronic health information.
How does your doctor use the GA Notify service?
GA Notify makes it easy for your health care providers to securely exchange health information with other providers who are involved in your care. GA Notify enables your care team to receive notifications about hospital discharges and emergency department visits, which helps to ensure you receive proper follow-up care.
Can I choose not to participate in GA Notify?
Yes, GA Notify supports patient choice for participation and offers the ability to ‘opt out’ of the service. If you choose to opt-out, no one on your care team will be automatically alerted of you visit. Without GA Notify, your care team may not be able to provide you with the best care possible, and they may still call or manually notify members of your care team if needed for your care.
Opt-out Instructions
- If you would like to opt-out of GA Notify at a specific participating facility contact the facility directly.
- If you would like to opt-out of GA Notify at all facilities you must complete the attached Non-Participation Form. For your protection, GA Notify requires that you verify your identity in one of two ways: have the form signed by a health care provider licensed in Georgia, or have the form signed by a notary public. If you choose not to participate, health care providers will not be able to look for your records in GA Notify. Choosing not to participate means emergency room (ER) doctors will not be able to get information that could help them give you better care or save your life in an emergency.
Opt-out Form
If you have any questions, please contact us at ganotify@gha.org