[Med-privacy] Uniform Data Standards for Patient Medical Record Information

[Peter Marshall]

NCVHS Report to the Secretary of HHS  regarding  Uniform Data Standards for
Patient Medical Record Information
    
                                      
 Jeffrey Blair, Vice President, Medical Records Institute
                              
                                                    
The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) has just
released its recommendations to the Secretary of HHS regarding Uniform Data
Standards for Patient Medical Record Information. This report was
mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of
1996. The report describes how the lack of complete and comprehensive PMRI
standards is a major constraint on the ability of our healthcare delivery
system to enhance quality, improve productivity, manage costs and safeguard
data. It recommends that the government take a   leadership role in addressing
these issues by accelerating the development, adoption, and coordination of
PMRI standards.  It sets forth NCVHS's guiding principles for the selection of
 specific PMRI standards. The report also addresses the related  issues of
protecting the confidentiality of PMRI, reducing  barriers to the electronic
exchange of PMRI caused by diverse state laws, increasing the participation of
under-represented groups in the standards development process, and
coordinating the development of PMRI standards within the  broader context of
a National Health Information Infrastructure. The report was prepared by the
Computer-based Patient Record Work Group within the NCVHS Subcommittee on
Standards and Security. The CPR  Work Group was chaired by Jeff Blair,
Vice-President of the Medical Records Institute. The complete 67 page report
is available for your review on the NCVHS web site at www.ncvhs.hhs.gov.