The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed an update to antiquated rules governing patient privacy, last modified in 1987. These changes help integrated delivery systems take full advantage of the information sharing foundation on which they were built. A critical component, essential to the success of today’s systems of care and coverage, is effective and secure data sharing pathways to transfer patient information between and among organizations.
Often, such outdated rules, designed to protect a patient’s privacy, prevent the flow of information between providers, leaving them unable to make the most informed treatment decisions for their patients. The proposed rule change, applicable 180 days after final publication (date undetermined), would allow providers to offer patients a general consent form authorizing the sharing of their information more broadly among providers than current policy allows.
As the healthcare system continues to integrate, a data-sharing infrastructure, supported by 21st century policy, will be vital to successfully providing patient-centered, high-quality, cost-effective care. Allowing and fostering the seamless flow of a patient’s information across his or her team of providers is one of the greatest assets of an integrated system.
The Margolin Group recognizes the critical importance of patient privacy and supports responsible policy changes that drive innovation and enable the flow of crucial data across systems of care and coverage. In our work building innovative models of behavioral health care, we have witnessed how the sharing of information between primary care and behavioral health is essential for patients to experience the best possible health outcomes.