Proposed Federal Regulations on Sharing of Patient Health Data

(see:PROPOSED FEDERAL RULE PUTS PATIENT RECORDS ON SMART PHONES)A federal regulation proposed February 11 would require physicians ’ offices to not only share medical records electronically with patients via their smart phones, but to implement systems which let patients electronically transfer those medical records to another care provider if the patient requested it. In some cases, patients will want to use that capacity to digitally send records from your office to a complementary care provider. In other instances, it’ll mean “Hasta la vista, baby!”—or “Hola, new patient!” if such a record comes your way. The 724-page proposed regulation is so dense with information technology terminology that it’s only slightly easier to read than those etchings on the Rosetta Stone. However, if you have something to say about it, comments can be submitted for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, which had not happened yet as of this writing. Here are some highlights. Smart Phone Records Access for Patients The rule would allow patients and providers access through either smart phones or computers. There are predictions that the application programming interfaces (APIs) contemplated by the federal rules will work faster and more simply with smart phones. For example, some current online patien t portals (such as the one this reporter uses at California Blue Shield) make it necessary to have a smart phone handy to receive a verification code and then input it ...
Source: Lab Soft News - Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Source Type: blogs