Patients to have direct access to medical results

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Patients may soon have direct access to their medical test results if a proposed rule change by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) goes through later this year.

According to HHS, the new rule would expand the ability of patients to view their health information and lab results covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) through the use of health information technology.

Under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), a laboratory may only release test results directly to patients if a health provider authorizes it at the time of the test, or state law expressly allows for it. The proposed rule would amend CLIA so that labs can give patients their test results upon request.

Ref and Read more: http://www.govtech.com/health/Rule-Change-Would-Improve-Access-to-Patient-Records-Through-Health-IT.html

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