HHS initiates patient access to lab results via health IT

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed new rules to expand the rights of patients to access their health information through the use of health IT. Specifically, the new rule gives patients access to test results directly from labs.

This rule will seek to ensure that labs covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) provide information directly to patients or a representative. The announcement came at the HHS Consumer Health IT Summit, the first-ever event which brought together consumers, providers, and the public and private sectors to discuss how to empower consumers to be partners in their healthcare through health IT.

“When it comes to healthcare, information is power. When patients have their lab results, they are more likely to ask the right questions, make better decisions and receive better care,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “This Summit offers a unique opportunity for the public and private sectors alike to share strategies to improve consumer access to their health information, while safeguarding the privacy and security of their data.”

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), drafted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the HHS' Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, proposes to amend the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) regulations and HIPAA privacy regulations to strengthen patients’ rights to access their own laboratory test results.

Sebelius also unveiled the voluntary Personal Health Record (PHR) Model Privacy Notice, which creates a standardized template for consumers to compare and make decisions based on their privacy and security policies. The PHR template is similar to the Nutrition Facts Labels, presenting complex information in a simple way that improves transparency and the consumer's understanding about data practices.

In the coming year, the Office of the National Coordinator will work with stakeholders to expand and empower consumers' access to information and become active participants in their health.

 

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