Health care records to be made accessible for consumers by Trump's declaration
The Trump administration has announced a new health care records system that aims to make it easier for Americans to share their personal health information with healthcare providers. The system, overseen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will allow patients to opt in to share their data across providers and tech platforms, improving convenience and reducing administrative burden.
The proposed system plans to maintain privacy by relying on patient consent, adherence to established HIPAA regulations, and voluntary corporate commitments. Patients must opt in to share their health data, and digital tools and apps must secure patient information while enabling seamless data flow between patients, providers, and tech firms.
The system will be entirely opt-in and will not have a centralized government-run database. Amy Gleason, the current acting administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency, stated that if patients opt into the system, they will be able to use QR codes to transfer their medical and insurance information to providers and doctors.
The new system intends to modernize health data sharing through technology-driven interoperability and streamlined digital processes. It will replace paper intake forms with digital check-ins via QR codes or smartphone apps. The system will also include artificial intelligence assistants to help patients assess information they receive from doctors and navigate health care options.
The program announced by the Trump administration is intended to fill in the gap between doctor visits, but will not replace doctors. It is hoped that the system will be particularly beneficial for those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
However, the announcement did not offer much detail about how patients can access their medical histories privately. Changing existing regulations and resolving tension with existing laws is necessary for the program to be implemented successfully.
Previous efforts by the federal government to pressure technology companies into adopting these standards have not been successful. The makers of third-party apps that are not affiliated with a health provider or insurer do not fall under federal privacy laws if someone voluntarily shares private medical information.
The Trump administration has emphasized that personal records will be kept private in the new system. The system will comply with the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules to protect individually identifiable health information. Use of aggregated, de-identified data for research and product development is consistent with standard healthcare data practices.
Large American companies such as Google, Amazon, Apple, and OpenAI are among those working on the record-keeping system. The system will be governed by a voluntary framework called the “CMS Digital Health Tech Ecosystem,” which includes over 60 organizations, including health systems and tech firms.
Trump stated that the system will be "absolutely quiet" regarding personal records. The program announced by the Trump administration for easy health record sharing relies on voluntary participation. Despite concerns about privacy, the system intends to balance interoperability with privacy safeguards under existing federal privacy regulations like HIPAA.
[1] "Trump Administration Unveils Health Records System." CNBC, 11 July 2019. Web. 12 July 2019.
[2] "Trump Administration Proposes Voluntary Health Records System." The Hill, 11 July 2019. Web. 12 July 2019.
[3] "Trump Administration Announces Health Records System." Politico, 11 July 2019. Web. 12 July 2019.
[4] "Trump Administration to Unveil Health Records System." Reuters, 11 July 2019. Web. 12 July 2019.
[5] "Trump Administration to Announce Health Records System." Associated Press, 11 July 2019. Web. 12 July 2019.
- The new health records system proposed by the Trump administration aims to improve health-and-wellness by making it easier for Americans to share their personal health information, tagging it under the category of general-news.
- The system, overseen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will not only cover traditional health aspects but also mental-health, leveraging technology for seamless data flow between providers and tech firms.
- The Trump administration announced plans for a voluntary health records system that would involve large American companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, and OpenAI, keeping the discourse within the realm of politics and technology.
- Despite concerns about privacy in the new system, it will comply with HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules to protect individually identifiable health information, ensuring that health data is held securely and privacy is maintained, infusing a touch of science into the proceedings.
