Getting started with PatientConnect

What is PatientConnect?

PatientConnect is a secure HL7 interface, or Web API (Application Programming Interface) if available, that allows your Electronic Health Record or Practice Management software (EHR/PM software) to send patient data to TouchMD. Using this data, a TouchMD account will automatically be created for your patients. This will save your staff time by eliminating the need for duplicate entry of patient information to create accounts in TouchMD.

If allowed by your EHR/PM software, PatientConnect can also send images, documents, or consent documents saved in TouchMD back to the linked patient chart in your EHR/PM Software. Your EHR/PM software provider will determine if this functionality is available.

What is HL7?

HL7 is set of international standards for transfer of clinical and administrative data between software applications used by various healthcare providers.

PatientConnect can not be used if your EHR/PM software provider does not support HL7 message transfers, unless custom API is available.

How Much Does PatientConnect Cost?

There is a one-time charge of $1500 – $2500 to setup PatientConnect. An additional charge of $99 will be added to all subsequent TouchMD Monthly Maintenance invoices to maintain the PatientConnect interface. The $1500 – $2500 setup fee is to cover the time and resources spent by our IT and Integration teams to configure the integration between TouchMD and your EMR/EHR/PM system. The $99 monthly fee is to maintain the connection between TouchMD and your EMR/EHR/PM system. With the integration, our system stores specific encrypted information on our server for each patient account to correctly link the patient between TouchMD and EMR/EHR/PM system. Storage of this information comes at a cost from our server host and the $49 monthly fee covers those costs.

Cancellation or Non-payment

You can cancel PatientConnect at any time if desired. The $1500 – $2500 setup charge is non-refundable.

If the monthly PatientConnect maintenance charge is not paid within thirty (30) days of the due date, your PatientConnect interface will be disabled until paid. PatientConnect can be enabled free of charge if payment is received within six (6) months of the due date. If payment is received after six (6) months of the due date, a $800 one time fee will be charged to reconnect the interface.

Getting Started with PatientConnect

For practices using NexTech and PatientNOW software

1. Contact your NexTech or PatientNOW account representative, or support help desk and let them know you would like to setup an HL7 Interface with TouchMD. Since we have partnership agreements with NexTech and PatientNOW, they will initiate the interface setup and contact TouchMD when complete.
2. Immediately notify TouchMD that you have initiated a PatientConnect HL7 Interface with NexTech or PatientNow by sending email notification to [email protected].
3. For existing TouchMD clients, we will send you the following items to complete:
   1. An invoice for payment of the PatientConnect setup
   2. A PatientConnect Contract Addendum to sign
   3. A TouchMD Master Subscription Agreement to sign (if not already on file).
4. TouchMD will complete the PatientConnect interface after we receive payment, a signed Contract Addendum and Master Subscription Agreement, and notification from NexTech or PatientNOW that their HL7 service is active.

Completion of PatientConnect interface usually takes 5-10 business days after this process is initiated with NexTech or PatientNOW.

For practices using all other EHR/PM Software

1. Contact your EHR/PM software provider account representative, or support help desk and let them know you would like to setup an HL7 Interface with a 3rd Party Software Vendor (TouchMD). They will inform you of any fees charged to complete this work and maintain the connection. They should also provide contact information for the technical support person in charge of setting up your HL7 interface project. The TMD PatientConnect Interface Specifications document attached below can be sent to your EHR/PM software provider if they have any questions.
2. Immediately notify TouchMD that you have initiated a PatientConnect HL7 Interface with your EHR/PM software by sending email notification to [email protected].  Please include in the email notification the contact information for the technical support person received in step 1.
3.  For existing TouchMD clients, we will send you the following items to complete:
   1.  An invoice for payment of the PatientConnect setup
   2.  A PatientConnect Contract Addendum to sign
   3.  A TouchMD Master Subscription Agreement to sign (if not already on file)
4. TouchMD will start work building out your PatientConnect interface with your EHR/PM software provider after we receive payment, a signed Contract Addendum and Master Subscription Agreement.