Stem Cell Research Program

• Stem Cell Research Program information.

Statewide Health Information and Exchange Program

• Public Act 07-2, “An Act Implementing the Provisions of the Budget Concerning Human Services and Public Health,” Sec. 66
• Public Act 09-232, “An Act Concerning Revisions to the Department of Public Health Licensing Statutes,” Sec. 74-77
• News Release : Department of Public Health Releases State Health Information Technology Plan, July 17, 2009
• Connecticut State Health Information Technology Plan, June 2009
• Link to Funding Opportunity Announcement: State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program 2009 http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1336&parentname=CommunityPage&parentid=47&mode=2&in_hi_userid=11113&cached=true
• Letter of Intent for Federal Funding Opportunity  
• Cooperative Agreement Budget Narrative (pdf)
• Cooperative Agreement Project Narrative and Abstract (pdf)

The Federal Administration and the U.S. Congress have put health information technology on the forefront in the healthcare reform debate, by providing funding for states to support local health information technology efforts.  The passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) appropriates a minimum of $20 billion to be used over the next six years for advancing the appropriate use of health information technology to improve quality of care and establish a foundation for health care reform.

PA 07-2 required the Department of Public Health to develop a Statewide Health Information Technology Plan.  The Plan was submitted to the General Assembly and was released to the public on July 17, 2009.  

On July 8, 2009, Governor M. Jodi Rell signed Public Act 09-232, “An Act Concerning Revisions to the Department of Public Health Licensing Statutes” (the Act).  Section 75 of the Act designates the Department of Public Health (DPH) as the state's lead health information exchange organization beginning July 1, 2009.  It requires DPH to seek private and federal funds, including those available through the federal ARRA, for the initial development of a statewide health information exchange. DPH can use any private or federal funds it receives to establish HIT pilot programs and the grant programs described below.  In addition to this requirement, DPH must (1) assist with implementation and periodic revisions of the HIT plan after its initial submittal, including implementing an integrated statewide infrastructure for sharing electronic health information among health care facilities, health care professionals, public and private payers and patients, and (2) develop privacy standards and protocols for sharing this information.  These standards and protocols must be at least as stringent as the “standards for privacy of individually identifiable health information” established under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. They must require that individually identifiable health information be secure and access to it traceable by electronic audit trail.

The Committee

The Act establishes a 12-member Health Information Technology and Exchange Advisory Committee (Committee). Members and their appointing authorities are as follows:

1. The Lieutenant Governor;

2. (a) A representative of a medical research organization, (b) an insurer or health plan representative, and (c) an attorney with experience in privacy, health data security, or patient rights, each appointed by the governor;

3. (a) A person with experience with a private sector health information exchange or HIT entity and (b) a person with expertise in public health, each appointed by the Senate President pro tempore;

4. (a) A representative of hospitals, an integrated delivery network, or a hospital association and (b) one person with expertise with federally qualified health centers, each appointed by the House speaker;

5. A primary care physician whose practice uses electronic health records, appointed by the Senate majority leader;

6. A consumer or consumer advocate, appointed by the House majority leader;

7. A person with experience as a pharmacist or other health care provider that uses electronic health information exchange, appointed by the Senate minority leader; and

8. A large employer or business group representative, appointed by the House minority leader.

The Commissioners of Public Health, Social Services, Consumer Protection, and Health Care Access, the Chief Information Officer, the Office of Policy and Management Secretary, and the Health Care Advocate, or their designees, are ex-officio, non-voting Committee members.

All initial appointments must be made by October 1, 2009. Committee members select a member to serve as the Committee chairperson. The first meeting must be held by November 1, 2009.

All Committee members are deemed public officials and must adhere to the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials.  The Act specifies that it is not a conflict of interest for a trustee, director, partner, officer, stockholder, proprietor, counsel, or employee of any eligible institution, or any other individual with a financial interest in an eligible institution, to be on the Committee.  An “eligible institution” is a hospital, clinic, physician or other health care provider, laboratory, or public health agency that uses health information exchange or HIT.

Members may participate in Committee affairs concerning review or consideration of grant applications, including their approval or disapproval. But no member can participate in any Committee affairs concerning the review or consideration of any grant application filed by a member or an eligible institution in which the member has a financial interest or with whom the member engages in any business, employment, transaction, or professional activity.

Duties of the Committee

The Committee must advise DPH on implementation of the HIT plan. It must develop, in consultation with DPH, (1) appropriate protocols for health information exchange and (2) electronic data standards to promote the development of a statewide, integrated electronic health information system for use by state-funded health care providers and institutions.  These data standards must (1) include provisions on security, privacy, data content, structures and format, vocabulary, and transmission protocols, with the privacy standards consistent with the requirements specified above; (2) be compatible with any national data standards to allow for interstate interoperability; (3) permit the collection of health information in standard electronic format; and (4) be compatible with the requirements for an electronic health information system as described in law.

The Committee must identify ways to improve and promote health information exchange in the state, including identifying public and private funding sources for HIT. Beginning November 1, 2009, the DPH Commissioner must submit any proposed application for private or federal funds for development of health information exchange to the Committee.  The Act requires the Committee to advise the Commissioner in writing, within 20 days after the Committee receives this proposed application, of its comments and any recommended changes it believes the Commissioner should consider in making decisions.  It requires the Commissioner to offer at least one Committee member the opportunity to participate on any review panel established to identify or apply for funds or make grants.

HIT Grant Program

The Committee must advise the DPH Commissioner on the development and implementation of an HIT grant program which may, within available appropriations, provide funds to eligible institutions to advance HIT and health information exchange in the state.  DPH must, within available funds, provide administrative support to the Committee and help it (1) develop the grant application, (2) review the applications, (3) prepare and execute any assistance or other agreements in connection with grant awards, and (4) perform other administrative duties as the Commissioner deems necessary.  The Commissioner may, within available funds, contract for administrative support for the Committee.

Reporting

Annually between February 1, 2010, and February 1, 2015, the DPH Commissioner and the Committee must report to the Governor and General Assembly on (1) any private or federal funds received during the preceding quarter and if applicable, how the funds were spent; (2) the amount of grants awarded; (3) the grant recipients; and (4) the current status of health information exchange and HIT in the state.

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Progress to Date

Within the Department of Public Health, the Office of Research and Development is responsible for managing all aspects of this legislation including conducting and coordinating internal and external meetings, and establishing and fostering collaborative relationships with members of the Health Information Technology and Exchange Advisory Committee, advocates, and policy makers. One of the guiding and continuing principles of the Office of Research and Development is the commitment to transparency, and we are proud to offer this web page as an important vehicle in maintaining open and transparent lines of communication with residents of Connecticut and members of the health information technology community.

On October 16, 2009, the Connecticut Department of Public Health submitted an application in response to the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement funding opportunity.  A copy of the narrative and budget can be found on the above links.  Applicants who are selected for funding will begin receiving funds in January 2010.