The Impact of the New Information Blocking Final Rule on Healthcare Providers
Introduction
Healthcare providers have always had a responsibility to protect their patients’ sensitive health information. However, on April 5, 2021, the new Information Blocking Final Rule went into effect, bringing with it significant changes to how healthcare providers must handle patient data. This rule aims to ensure patients can access and share their health information with their care team, promoting greater patient engagement and control over their healthcare.
In this article, we’ll explore the impact of the new Information Blocking Final Rule on healthcare providers. We’ll discuss its purpose, requirements, and potential benefits.
What is the Information Blocking Final Rule?
The Information Blocking Final Rule is part of the 21st Century Cures Act, which is designed to improve patient access to medical information and promote innovation in healthcare. This rule prohibits healthcare providers, health IT developers, and health information exchanges from intentionally interfering with the exchange of electronic health information.
Specifically, healthcare providers are now required to provide timely access to patient information without unreasonable delay, free of charge. Providers must also provide patients with an electronic copy of their health information upon request.
Requirements of the Information Blocking Final Rule
The new rule requires healthcare providers to implement and maintain health IT systems that comply with interoperability standards, including those established by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).
Furthermore, healthcare providers must immediately release requested health information to patients either in an electronic format or a paper copy of the records. Providers are not allowed to charge fees for providing electronic copies of health records, but they can for paper copies or for labor associated with copying and transmitting the data.
Finally, providers must continue to comply with HIPAA and state privacy laws, which means that they must take appropriate measures to ensure that health data is kept secure and protected from unauthorized access.
The Benefits of the Information Blocking Final Rule
The Information Blocking Final Rule aims to improve the quality and accessibility of care for patients and to enable better care coordination among healthcare providers. With greater access to their health data, patients can take a more active role in their care, make more informed decisions, and better monitor their health conditions.
The rule also promotes innovation by making it easier for developers to create new health IT tools that can interface with existing health systems. This can lead to more personalized and effective patient care.
Examples of Information Blocking
Information blocking can take many forms, such as:
– Charging patients or third parties unreasonable fees for accessing or exchanging health records
– Preventing patients from accessing their full health records
– Restricting access to certain information
– Refusing to share electronic health data with providers who use different health IT systems
By implementing the Information Blocking Final Rule, healthcare providers are encouraged to eliminate these practices and instead focus on promoting greater transparency and patient engagement.
Conclusion
The Information Blocking Final Rule is a significant change for healthcare providers, but it’s also a promising step towards improving patient access to medical information and promoting better care coordination. By complying with this rule, healthcare providers can help unlock the potential of health information technology to improve patient care and outcomes.
