ONC Clarifies Policy on Substance Abuse E-records and Privacy (posted 7/7)

The Health and Human Services Department has published guidelines on the conditions under which records pertaining to a patient’s alcohol and drug abuse can be shared via electronic health information exchange systems. A 30-year old federal law has protected the confidentiality of substance abuse patient records and prohibited their disclosure without the patient’s consent. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) this week published a set of frequently asked questions to clarify how healthcare providers and other organizations can apply the regulations specifically to electronic health records and HIE, reports Government Health IT. To download the guidelines and FAQs from the SAMHSA website click here.

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