Health Commerce System

Health Commerce System

The Health Commerce System (HCS)_[1] is the secure website for web-based interactions with the New York State Department of Health which includes eCLEP, the application tool for clinical laboratories to submit changes to the laboratory's operations, complete the annual permit reapplication process, review and respond to laboratory survey reports and designate proficiency testing enrollment.

Every individual accessing the Health Commerce System must have their own HCS account. Sharing of an account user id and password is a violation of the security user agreement, which will result in a termination of your HCS account privileges and possible prosecution if data security is compromised because of the violation.

NOTE: All changes in clinical laboratory directorship must be made through eCLEP. A request to change the director role for the laboratory affiliation record using the HCS Coordinator Tools function does not constitute official notification. If the clinical laboratory is unable to access eCLEP to report a director change, CLEP must be contacted immediately by emailing clepcert@health.ny.gov_[2].

Access to eCLEP

eCLEP is the application tool for clinical laboratories to submit changes to the laboratory's operations, complete the annual permit reapplication process, review and respond to laboratory survey reports and designate proficiency testing enrollment.

Access to eCLEP is a multi-step process.

First you must obtain and affiliate an HCS Account.
Coordinators and general Users must then request access to eCLEP.
Please carefully follow the instructions for Directors, Coordinators and general Users in the Accessing eCLEP section below.

Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program (CLEP) Policy:

Laboratory Directors are required to obtain an HCS account and affiliate that account for each clinical laboratory they direct as part of the requirements for a clinical laboratory permit. If you direct more than one laboratory, you must complete the affiliation process for each laboratory.

Already have an HCS account? A Director Affiliation Form will be emailed to you once your eligibility to serve as laboratory director has been confirmed by CLEP. This form must be notarized and mailed in hard copy. Individuals outside the U.S. without access to a notary public must contact us at clephcs@health.ny.gov_[3] for alternative instructions.

Need an HCS Account? Follow the instructions in the Obtaining an HCS Account section below.

Not sure if you have an account? Contact the Commerce Accounts Management Unit (CAMU) at 1-866-529-1890 (option1) or CAMU@its.ny.gov_[4] to see if you already have an HCS Account.

Obtaining an HCS Account

Director HCS Account

Laboratory Directors are required to obtain an HCS account and affiliate that account for EACH clinical laboratory they direct as part of the requirements for a clinical laboratory permit. If you direct more than one laboratory, you must complete the affiliation process for EACH laboratory.

Director WITHOUT a current HCS Account must:

(For both Newly Applying and Existing Laboratories (Applied or Approved))

Go to https://commerce.health.state.ny.us_[5].
Click on “Sign Up Here”.
Click “No” to the question “Do you hold a healthcare professional license issued by the New York State Department of Education” (even if you do).
OPTIONAL: Click on the Quick Reference Guide and print for future reference.
Click on “Click here” where it says “Click here to register for an account (for non-medical professionals)”.
Create/Enter a unique User ID.
Enter your First Name, Last Name and Email Address

NOTE: Name must be the same as it is on your Photo ID

Click the User Security and Use Policy link and review.
Check the box to confirm you read and understand the Security and Use Policy.
Click Continue.
Answer six (6) Security Questions and click Save.
You will receive two emails from camu@health.ny.gov_[6]:

“HCS Self Registration Account Created for <user ID>“

AND

“HCS security questions and answers have been changed for <user ID>.”

Any issues creating your HCS account? Please contact CAMU at 1-866-529-1890 (option 1).

A Director Affiliation Form will be emailed to you once your eligibility to serve as laboratory director has been confirmed by CLEP. This form must be notarized and mailed in hard copy. Individuals outside the U.S. without access to a notary public must contact us at clephcs@health.ny.gov_[7] for alternative instructions. CLEP will complete the affiliation process.

NOTE: Access to HCS will not be available until after the Director Affiliation Form has been processed by CLEP.

You will receive an email from camu@health.ny.gov_[8] once the HCS Affiliation process is complete: “Congratulations! You are enrolled on the Health Commerce System (HCS)” email. This email will include a link to set your password.

Any issues with setting your password? Please contact CAMU at 1-866-529-1890 (option 1).

Director WITH a current HCS account must:

Newly Applying Laboratories: Once the clinical laboratory permit application is deemed complete, a Director Affiliation Form will be emailed to you once your eligibility to serve as laboratory director has been confirmed by CLEP. This form must be notarized and mailed in hard copy. Individuals outside the U.S. without access to a notary public must contact us at clephcs@health.ny.gov_[9] for alternative instructions. CLEP will complete the affiliation process.

Existing Laboratories (Applied or Approved): An existing eCLEP user (e.g., outgoing Director, Coordinator or User with Delegated Submitter status) submits the director change via eCLEP.

Article 5, Title V of the New York State Public Health Law specifies that a laboratory permit is void upon a change in laboratory director, owner, or location. All changes in laboratory name, owner name, director, assistant director, ownership, or location must be submitted to the Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program via eCLEP before the change occurs.
If eCLEP is in Read-Only Mode, please email CLEPCERT@health.ny.gov_[10] to request eCLEP be placed back in OPEN (or REAPP) mode for your facility.
If the laboratory is unable to access eCLEP, meaning there is no one at the laboratory that holds an HCS account with eCLEP permissions, then CLEP must be notified in writing immediately via email to CLEPCERT@health.ny.gov_[11].

1. A Director Affiliation Form will be emailed to you once your eligibility to serve as laboratory director has been confirmed by CLEP. This form must be notarized and mailed in hard copy. Individuals outside the U.S. without access to a notary public must contact us at clephcs@health.ny.gov_[12] for alternative instructions. CLEP will complete the affiliation process.

2. You will receive an email from camu@health.ny.gov_[13] once the HCS Affiliation process is complete: “Congratulations! You are enrolled on the Health Commerce System (HCS)” email.

Coordinator Accounts:

New Laboratories: The Director must have their HCS account affiliated with the laboratory by CLEP before affiliating Coordinator accounts for others. The Director must be assigned the roles of Director, Coordinator and Security Coordinator in HCS before Coordinator requests can be processed.

Existing Laboratories: The Director or an existing Coordinator affiliates Coordinator accounts for others.

Create a New Coordinator WITHOUT a HCS account (user ID):

New User: Go to https://commerce.health.state.ny.us_[14]
Click Sign Up Here
Click “No” to the question “Do you hold a healthcare professional license issued by the New York State Department of Education” even if you do.
OPTIONAL: Click on the Quick Reference Guide and print for future reference.
Click on “Click here” where it says “Click here to register for an account (for non-medical professionals)”.
Create/Enter a unique User ID.
Enter your First Name, Last Name and Email Address.

NOTE: Name must be the same as it is on your Photo ID

Click the User Security and Use Policy link and review.
Check the box to confirm you read and understand the Security and Use Policy.
Click Continue.
Answer six (6) Security Questions and click Save.
NOTE: If the new Coordinator is also a new user, then they will receive three confirmation emails from camu@health.ny.gov_[15]:
1. HCS Self Registration Account Created for <userID>
2. HCS Security Questions and answers have been changed

Any issues encountered while performing the above process? Please contact CAMU at 1-866-529-1890 (option 1).

After the HCS user ID has been created, the Director or existing Coordinator at the laboratory must sign into the Health Commerce System (HCS) to affiliate your HCS Account. Note: The Director or existing Coordinator must have obtained and affiliated their HCS account before additional Coordinator accounts can be affiliated.
Director: Click Coord Account Tools from My Applications list
Director: Click on “Request an account for Coordinator” to submit a request.
Submission guidance may be found under the column marked “Instructions” “Coordinator”.

Create a new Coordinator WITH a HCS account (user ID):

The Director or existing Coordinator must sign into the Health Commerce System (HCS) to affiliate your HCS Account. Note: The Director or existing Coordinator must have obtained and affiliated their HCS account before additional Coordinator accounts can be affiliated.
Director or existing Coordinator: Click Coordinator Account Tools from My Applications list
Director or existing Coordinator: Click on “Request an account for… Coordinator” to submit a request.
Submission guidance may be found under the column marked “Instructions” “Coordinator”.

User accounts:

New User: Go to https://commerce.health.state.ny.us_[16]
Click Sign Up Here
Click “No” to the question “Do you hold a healthcare professional license issued by the New York State Department of Education” even if you do.
OPTIONAL: Click on the Quick Reference Guide and print for future reference.
Click on “Click here” where it says “Click here to register for an account (for non-medical professionals)”.
Create/Enter a unique User ID.
Enter your First Name, Last Name and Email Address.

NOTE: Name must be the same as it is on your Photo ID

Click the User Security and Use Policy link and review.
Check the box to confirm you read and understand the Security and Use Policy.
Click Continue.
Answer six (6) Security Questions and click Save.
NOTE: If the new Coordinator is also a new user, then they will receive three confirmation emails from camu@health.ny.gov_[17]:
1. HCS Self Registration Account Created for <userID>
2. HCS Security Questions and answers have been changed

Any issues encountered while performing the above process? Please contact CAMU at 1-866-529-1890 (option 1).

Contact the Director or Coordinator for the laboratory and request your account be affiliated with the laboratory. Note: The Director or Coordinator must have obtained and affiliated their HCS account before additional Users accounts can be affiliated.
IMPORTANT: The Director or Coordinator will need your photo ID to complete the affiliation.
Director or Coordinator: Click Coord Account Tools from My Applications list
Director or Coordinator: Click on “Request an account for… User” to submit a request.

Accessing eCLEP

To gain access to the eCLEP application on the HCS, Coordinators and Users must have an HCS account that is affiliated with the clinical laboratory record in HCS and delegated submitter status.

By default, a laboratory director that has affiliated their HCS account has automatic access to eCLEP (refer to "Obtaining an HCS Account” above).

Coordinators and Users are required to have the Laboratory Director complete a Delegated Submitter Form_[18] and submit it to clep@health.ny.gov_[19] or fax to 518-485-5414. Please ensure that you have an affiliated HCS account before this form is submitted.

The Delegated Submitter will receive a confirmation email from camu@its.ny.gov_[20] when your account has been given eCLEP permissions.

Delegated Submitter Form_[21]

Definitions

Affiliation means that your HCS account has been linked to a specific clinical laboratory record in HCS. This linkage is required to enable access to eCLEP.

CAMU is the Commerce Accounts Management Unit of the New York State Department of Health, Health Commerce System

Coordinator is, in addition to the Director, the individual who has the responsibility and authority to request and manage HCS accounts for additional laboratory staff and manage roles in the Communication Directory.

Delegated Submitter is an individual with written authorization by the Laboratory Directors to electronically enter and submit data via the eCLEP application on the HCS information to the department in lieu of the director.

Director is the individual who can bind the organization with the Department in the Health Commerce System. Please note, electronic request for a change in director through the HCS portal does not constitute notification of a change in director to the department for purposes of the New York State clinical laboratory permit.

eCLEP is the application tool for clinical laboratories to submit changes to the laboratory's operations, complete the annual permit reapplication process, review and respond to laboratory survey reports and designate proficiency testing enrollment.

Health Commerce System (HCS) is a secure online communications system operated by the NYS Department of Health. It supports the exchange of routine and emergency statewide health information by local health departments and health facilities, providers, and practitioners.

User is the person who has basic access to the Health Commerce System and can get to non-secure areas.