NH Passes Legislation to Better Secure the Transfer of PHI

Legislation recently passed in the State of New Hampshire that aims to secure protected health information (PHI) better when it's being shared between healthcare providers.

The bill was helped passed by the New Hampshire Health Information Organization (NHHIO), a non-profit created by New Hampshire legislation to run the statewide health information exchange (HIE). The legislation expands the network to include care coordinators, clinical support staff and other members of the care team.

“It is vitally important for patients across New Hampshire to access their medical information and to protect that private information from being stolen,” New Hampshire State Senator, Jeb Bradley, the main sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “I was proud to sponsor Senate Bill 229 to update New Hampshire’s medical records law and give all New Hampshire patients the tools to protect their medical privacy.”

Jeff Loughlin, executive director of the NHHIO, says that with the senate bill in effect, healthcare teams can better manage the flow of patient information in a safer and timelier manner, using the organization's IT infrastructure.