Governor Stitt Signs OKSHINE Health Information Exchange Rules into Effect
Pictured above: a laptop sitting on a desk. The screen depicts a stack of file cabinets.
Earlier this week, Governor Kevin Stitt signed into effect the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority’s emergency rules for the state’s Health Information Exchange (HIE), a program which will create a database to which all Oklahoma healthcare providers will be expected to upload patients’ medical records. In June, Governor Stitt vetoed a previous iteration of the regulations after months of protest by mental healthcare providers across the state. Members of the Oklahoma Providers for Privacy voiced concerns that the former rules would have violated patients’ rights to dictate who has access to their mental health records.
The most recent version of the regulations mandates that all licensed healthcare providers, including mental health therapists, report data to the HIE unless the providers file for an exemption. According to OHCA, any provider who files will be granted the exemption and not required to report client data to the HIE. The rules also exempt substance abuse treatment facilities and providers who do not utilize electronic health record services from reporting to the HIE.
For more information on the emergency rules and Oklahoma’s HIE, visit the OHCA website. Providers who wish to take part in the HIE can read here to find out if their current electronic health records system is compatible and then apply to be a designated entity on the MyHealth Access Network site. Those who would like to file for an exemption from reporting to the HIE can find the OHCA exemption form here.