Understanding Consent
Navigating consent within the Wyoming CommuniCare platform can raise important questions for both providers and participants. This document addresses the most common and pressing inquiries related to how consent is obtained, managed, and respected across the system. Whether you’re new to CommuniCare or seeking clarity on specific scenarios, these FAQs are designed to provide straightforward, reliable answers to help you feel confident and informed.
Why Would a Client Want to Share Their Information in Wyoming CommuniCare?
Wyoming CommuniCare simplifies access to care and strengthens collaboration. With CommuniCare, clients can easily connect to the services they need while choosing to securely share their information with trusted agencies. This means they tell their story once, saving time, reducing paperwork, and avoiding the frustration of repeating details. At the same time, providers stay informed and connected, making it easier to deliver coordinated, person-centered care.
What Is Informed Consent?
Informed consent is a conversation between a provider and client, where the client gets clear and important information to help them make decisions that match their values and goals.
- Clients have the right to make decisions about their wellbeing, including who supports them and how their health data is shared to coordinate care. It is important that clients understand what information will be shared, how it will be shared, who will see it, and why so they know how it may affect them.
Does a Client Have to Consent to Share Their Information to Get the Help They Need?
No, providing consent is not mandatory. If the client decides not consent to share their information, that’s okay. Providers can still send referrals through the system, but they won’t be able to see the client’s information from other agencies
What If Consent Isn’t Returned?
If consent isn’t returned, secure information can’t be shared between providers at different agencies. This can lead to clients having to repeat their story several times, and it makes it harder for providers to work together to offer coordinated, wraparound services.
What Are the Different Methods of Consent?
- No Consent
- Only basic details like name and contact info are visible. No other data is shared between agencies. Providers can still use tools like referrals and case notes, but they can only see information from their own organization.
- Full / Network-Wide Consent
- The client agrees to let providers across the network join their care team, send referrals, and share information to help coordinate care.
- Team Member Approval
- The client allows current care team members to approve new providers who want to join the team and access shared information.
- Client Approval
- The client personally approves each new provider who wants to join their care team and access shared data.
How Are Providers Added to a Client’s Care Team?
The client chooses how new Care Team members are added, based on the consent level they select. There are three options:
- Full / Network-Wide Consent
- Any provider in the network can add themselves to the client’s Care Team.
- Team Member Consent
- Only providers already on the Care Team can invite other providers to join the Care Team.
- Client Consent
- Each new provider must be approved directly by the client before joining the Care Team.
Can All Care Team Members See the Same Information?
No. Each Care Team member has specific roles and permissions. They can only see the information they need to support the client as part of their job.
Does the Client Know Who Is on Their Care Team?
It depends on the type of consent the client chooses:
- Client Approved Consent
- The client approves each provider, so they always know who’s on their Care Team.
- Team Member or Full/Network-Wide Consent
- Any current Care Team member can tell the client who’s on the team.
If My Client Is Under the Age of 18, How Is Consent in the System Obtained?
If the client is under the age of 18, consent must be obtained from their legal guardian. However, if the client is 16 or older, they may provide consent on their own.
When a Client Reaches the Age of 18, What Happens to the Status of the Client’s Consent?
If a client turns 18 after consent has already been obtained, the existing consent remains valid and their care team will not be removed. At that point, it becomes the client’s choice whether to update their consent. They may choose to complete a new consent form or continue with the current level of consent if they are comfortable with it.
Can Consent Be Changed or Revoked by the Client?
Yes. A client can change or revoke their consent at any time by contacting any provider on their Care Team.
What Happens to the Care Team if Consent Is Revoked?
If a client’s consent is revoked, all members of their care team are removed from their profile. To re-establish a care team and ensure the client receives adequate services, new consent must be obtained.
Can a Client Choose What Agencies are on Their Care Team?
Yes. A client can request to a member on their Care Team if they would like an agency removed from their Care Team. A member of that client’s care team can remove that member and agency by deauthorizing that care team member’s entity.
Does the Consent Expire?
Yes. Consent expires two years after the date it was signed.
What Happens to the Care Team if Consent Expires?
The Care Team will be removed from the client’s profile. However, you can still regain consent for the client and re-add all Care Team members. All previous Care Team members will remain visible in the client’s profile for easy access when adding them back to the team.
What Is CRN Consent, and How Is It Different From an Organization’s ROI (Release of Information)?
Typically, before an organization sends a referral on a client’s behalf, they ask the client to sign a Release Of Information (ROI) so that they can share data about the client in the referral with another organization. This allows only the sending and receiving entities to view data associated with the referral. This ROI does not allow other organizations working with the client to see that the referral happened, or the details within, nor does it allow for any sharing of data between care providers working with the client. That’s where the CRN consent comes in. CRN is a technology that connects providers across domains that are working with an individual. The CRN consent allows the client’s care team members to share and coordinate for finding resources, referrals, care plans, documentation, and service information. Additionally, this consent allows the care team to communicate directly with each other or as a team, to better serve the client.
Will All of a Client’s Medical Records Be in CRN?
No. It will show dates of ER visits and hospitalizations and will list the client’s PCP as a Care Team Member if the client chooses to do so.