NY – New Law Grants Clinicians Access to Patient Data for Minors

January 2017 ~

New York based clinicians participating in the Western New York health information exchange: HEALTHeLINK, are now able to access the health information of minors aged between 10 and 17.

As a result of the recent updates to a New York State policy regarding access to patient data through a Qualified Entity (QE) (such as HEALTHeLINK), the new rule allows the information of minors to be accessed if prior consent has been obtained by from parents or legal guardians via signed consent forms. Parents’ consent for children younger than 10 will continue to allow access for treating physicians.

According to HEALTHeLINK executive director Dan Porreca, the law change “gives parents and legal guardians the peace of mind that their child’s treating pediatrician or specialist will have the most up to date health information.” He continues, “For a child who may see several different physicians, having access to this information will allow for better more efficient care decisions. It is also helpful in those instances when the child’s grandparent or another caregiver brings them for an appointment and they do not have the child’s medical history readily available.”

To date, more than 870,000 adults in Western New York have already signed consent forms allowing their children’s information to be shared.

Source(s): HealthcareITNews; Healthcare-Informatics; NY Department of Health; i360Gov;