Oklahoma Governor Rejects Proposed Rule Changes for Statewide HIE

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has rejected proposed rule changes by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA) regarding the implementation of a statewide health information exchange (HIE), according to reporting from KFOR.

Senate Bill 1369, passed by the state legislature in May 2022, establishes The Office of the State Coordinator for Health Information Exchange and mandates that all licensed healthcare providers participate in the HIE by July 1, 2023.

According to OHCA, a statewide HIE would help reduce healthcare costs, support compliance with state and federal programs, and improve care coordination. However, hundreds of healthcare providers across the state have argued that it is a violation of patient privacy. OHCA officials have emphasized that the HIE would be regulated by HIPAA and through regular audits.

The OHCA Board of Directors voted in March to approve administrative rules to implement the law following a series of revisions.

However, Gov. Stitt has rejected the rule changes from OHCA.

“OHCA is continuing to work with the Governor’s office, Legislature, the OHCA Board, and numerous stakeholders on the next steps in order to implement the health information exchange,” OHCA officials told the news outlet. “We remain committed to fulfilling the requirements of SB 1369 and creating a streamlined, holistic healthcare approach for Oklahomans.”

The law would require healthcare providers to submit patient information to the HIE database, including:

• Names of providers who have cared for the patient
• Diagnoses
• Current medications
• Lab and X-ray results
• Past procedures
• Allergies
• Immunization records
• Hospital discharge records
• Basic personal information