CLIA Permits Electronic Exchange of Lab Data « Health IT Buzz

CLIA Permits Electronic Exchange of Lab Data « Health IT Buzz – Nice work.

Early in 2009, I saw the need for guidance related to the electronic exchange of laboratory data since it is a key part of improving health care quality and care coordination. We subsequently asked the Information Exchange Workgroup of the HIT Policy Committee to hold hearings on barriers to exchange of lab data and how these barriers could be overcome. Based on this input, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services drafted guidance that solves the following problems:

Encourages the use of HL7 2.5.1, LOINC, and federally recognized Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) specifications in the electronic exchange of lab data,;
States that visual inspection of laboratory interfaces within an EHR installation is not required,
Permits patient access to test results if not prohibited by state law,
Supports the goals of meaningful use, and
Expressly allows laboratory data to be transmitted through a health information exchange

1 Comment

This is great progress, but I also think this highlights the issue that there isn't guidance about bringing state laws that limit patient views of their own laboratory results into compliance with federal law.

Ted Eytan, MD