Statement on ONC Final Rule

Rick Pollack
President and CEO 
American Hospital Association

March 9, 2020

America’s hospitals and health systems support giving patients greater access and control over their health data. In fact, nearly all hospitals and health systems have made health information available to patients electronically.

However, today’s final rule fails to protect consumers’ most sensitive information about their personal health. The rule lacks the necessary guardrails to protect consumers from actors such as third party apps that are not required to meet the same stringent privacy and security requirements as hospitals. This could lead to third party apps using personal health information in ways in which patients are unaware.

These guidelines are too important not to get right. We need to stand on the side of the patient by protecting patient privacy and strengthening security in this rule. 

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Contact:         Arika Trim, (202) 626-2319 atrim@aha.org
                      Marie Johnson, (202) 626-2351 mjohnson@aha.org