Federal Advisors Seek Comment on Patient Credentialing for Records Access

The privacy and security workgroups of the advisory HIT Policy and Standards Committees are seeking public comment on credentialing patients in an electronic environment to have access to their medical information.

The workgroups are collecting comment in advance of a Nov. 29 Web hearing on the issue of how patients should prove they are who they say they are. Comment is sought on two core questions:

* What steps should we be taking to make sure that the person who is remotely accessing the record is the actual patient (or that patient’s authorized representative)?

* How can we reliably issue digital credentials without making it too hard or too expensive for patients?

In particular, the groups would like to hear from patients and caregivers on another set of questions related to how patients with access to their medical records got the access:

* Did you have to show up in person at your doctor’s office or were you able to establish the account online?

* If you were able to establish the account online, what steps did you have to go through to prove your identity?

* Once you established the account, what steps do you have to go through to access it?

* Do you believe the process for giving you access to your account will keep your information secure?

* What other approaches would you recommend to provide patients with secure online access to their medical information?

Details on the request for comments and Web hearing are available here.