Taft Announces Funding to Study Electronic Medical Records
COLUMBUS, OHIO (May 26, 2006) - Governor Bob Taft announced today that the Health Policy Institute of Ohio has received a $350,000 contract from the federal government to study how Ohio's privacy and security laws and business practices would impact efforts to electronically transfer patient medical records.
"This contract will enable Ohio's commercial and government sectors to help identify how we move forward with the electronic exchange of health information setting the stage for better health care for all Ohioans," Taft said. "Through our Third Frontier Network, Ohio has already established the capabilities to efficiently transfer information from research laboratories, universities and government entities, and we look forward to participating in this study to identify how health care professionals can fully utilize these new technologies."
The contract, from RTI International on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, funds the establishment of the Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration (HISPC). Ohio is one of 22 states selected to participate in the study to determine how privacy and security policies and business practices would impact the development of the National Health Information Network. Twelve additional states and U.S. territories have been invited to join the project. This system would enable health care providers nationwide to electronically share health records to enhance the quality of care, reduce costs and provide a more patient-centric focus to health care.
Governor Taft and the Ohio Department of Health named the Health Policy Institute of Ohio as state designee for the contract. Under the contract, the Health Policy Institute of Ohio will convene and work closely with a wide range of Ohio stakeholders to develop an implementation plan to address business practices and state laws that affect privacy and security practices and impede interoperable health information exchange.
A HISPC Steering Committee will consist of different stakeholder representatives including state and local government, private and public payers, the insurance industry, consumers, hospitals, long term care, pharmacy, physicians and employers.
The Health Policy Institute of Ohio is an independent, nonpartisan organization that forecasts health trends, analyzes key health issues, and communicates current research to Ohio policymakers, legislators, and others. For more information on the Institute, call (614) 224-4950 or go to http://www.healthpolicyohio.org.
