2008

The State Alliance established two more task forces in 2008 that built upon the work and recommendations of the three previous task forces: the Privacy and Security Taskforce and the Public Programs Implementation Taskforce. All of the task forces have ended, but the State Alliance will continue to work heavily in 2009 on privacy and security issues either through a new task force or written research.

Throughout the past year, the State Alliance has been examining issues raised by the task forces as well as a number of other issues, particularly e-prescribing. The State Alliance has engaged in this work in a way that complements federal efforts, supports ongoing collaborations between public and private sectors, and contributes to greater coordination within and among states.

Privacy and Security Task Force
Taskforce Members | Past Meetings | Report (expected late 2009)

This task force was charged with building upon previous work by the 2007 Health Information Protection Task Force, which developed recommendations on ways states can promote secure, interoperable health IT systems and align intrastate laws to support HIE. The objective of the Privacy and Security Task Force is to drill down on specific elements of the three priorities in privacy and security set forth earlier by the Health Information Protection Task Force (ensuring accountability, alignment of state laws and policies, and addressing consumer control and consent). The task force would laid out the considerations that state policymakers should be aware of as they engage in electronic HIE initiatives and address privacy and security challenges. Specific actions included formulating ways to support interstate exchange of electronic information by aligning state laws where necessary, as well as ensure accountability.

Public Programs Implementation Task Force
Taskforce Members | Past Meetings | Report

This task force was charged with building upon the recommendations developed by the 2007 Health Information Communication and Data Exchange Taskforce. The objective of the Public Programs Implementation Task Force was to drill down on specific elements of these recommendations, identify potential implementation challenges, and raise issues and other considerations that the State Alliance and other states should be mindful of when supporting implementation efforts.

The task force has sought to promote health IT adoption and use, as well as enable bi-directional data exchange to support clinical care quality and public health improvement. In addition, the task force also sought opportunities for flexible financing across state agencies and within states to sustain electronic HIE.

In its first year, the State Alliance also was supported by three task forces composed of key state-level stakeholders from the public and private sector who provided expertise and experience in addressing state-level health IT issues and presented recommendations to the State Alliance. The taskforces included the Health Information Protection Taskforce, the Health Care Practice Taskforce, and the Health Information Communication and Data Exchange Taskforce.

Health Information Protection Task Force
Taskforce Members | Past Meetings | Report | Appendix

This taskforce examined issues regarding the protection of consumer health information that ensures appropriate interoperable, electronic HIE within and across states. The taskforce was responsible for addressing state-level issues related to preserving the privacy of consumer health information while ensuring appropriate and secure electronic exchange of consumer health data within and across states.

Health Care Practice Task Force
Taskforce Members | Past Meetings | Report 1 | Report 2

This taskforce was responsible for issues regarding the regulatory, legal, and professional standards that impact the practice of medicine and create barriers to interoperable, electronic HIE. The taskforce focused its work on identifying approaches for streamlining the licensure process to better enable the safe practice of e-health and advanced actionable recommendations on these issues to the State Alliance.

Health Information Communication and Data Exchange Task Force
Taskforce Members | Past Meetings | Report

This taskforce assessed issues regarding the appropriate roles for publicly funded health programs in interoperable, electronic HIE. It recommended several strategies that state programs like Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), public health and state employee health benefits plans can use to move the HIT and electronic HIE agenda forward. It also considered strategies that encouraged state cooperation and collaboration with federal and private sector efforts.