The HLC also founded and currently chairs the 120-member Confidentiality Coalition. The establishment of uniform federal standards for the protection of patient information has long been our goal. In judging regulatory or legislative proposals on medical confidentiality, our overriding consideration is what is ultimately best for the patient. The HLC believes that balancing the goals of protecting confidentiality and allowing the free flow of medical information for high quality patient care is achievable. The importance of getting this balance right cannot be overstated.
Patient information is the lifeblood of quality health care.
Virtually every health hazard we know of today from AIDS, to smoking, to polio, to measles has been identified using medical records. Every advance in the delivery of health care has been developed using medical records. As mentioned, the HLC and the larger Confidentiality Coalition have spent countless hours since the final HHS regulation was published in December poring over this extremely complex rule. While we now have a good working knowledge of the rule, it may take additional weeks or months for us to uncover potential problems. By the end of February, HLC will be submitting to Congress and the administration a detailed list of concerns, questions, and areas needing clarification.