Settlement requires R.I. HIE to boost transparency

Rhode Island’s health information exchange (HIE), CurrentCare, must offer more transparency and develop more protections for patient privacy, according to a settlement agreement reached between the Rhode Island Department of Public Health and the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The ACLU charged the health department with failure to implement clear public procedures for patients to access, edit or remove their EHRs on the HIE.

The settlement, approved by the state superior court judge in Providence, has led to the DPH’s release of new regulations to strengthen protections and provide patients with more information on how to limit providers’ access to their data and opt out of the system.

“I am very pleased that we were able to resolve this lawsuit in a way that strengthens the privacy rights of patients. The Department’s agreement that it will no longer adopt unofficial policies to implement the health information exchange will better ensure public oversight of the way that Rhode Islanders’ sensitive healthcare information is treated,” according to a statement released by ACLU volunteer attorney Frederic Marzilli.