Hawaii-2024-SR7-Introduced

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that the ability to securely and efficiently share patient health information electronically has become vitally important to improve health outcomes, reduce health care costs, and connect health care providers to enhance care coordination; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature further finds that there has been limited progress in linking the State's health care entities and that there is a great opportunity to address health equity and positively impact social determinants of health through the sharing of real time health data; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature recognizes the available opportunities for federal funding on health care, such as the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development Model grant, and sees the need to convene health care industry stakeholders to identify and evaluate federal funding programs to strengthen the health care system of the State; and

WHEREAS, the State can shape policies to ensure a prioritization of privacy and individual ownership of data, while aligning with national standards and a common set of policies, to improve the health outcomes of its residents; and

WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and 2023 wildfires in Maui underscore the need for a flexible delivery of health care that meets the needs of the State's most vulnerable and often isolated residents by leveraging the power of interconnected technology for timely and accurate data sharing to support emergency response efforts and public health interventions; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature also finds value in accelerating and expanding the types of health information shared among health care entities and government agencies in the State to improve health outcomes in local communities; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, that the State Health Planning and Development Agency of the Department of Health is requested to convene a health data sharing working group to accelerate and expand the sharing of real-time health information among health care entities and government agencies in the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group consist of the following members:

(1) Administrator of the State Health Planning and Development Agency, who is requested to serve as the chairperson of the working group;

(2) A representative from the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(3) A representative from the Senate, to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

(4) The Director of Health, or the Director's designee;

(5) The Chief Information Officer or the Chief Information Officer's designee;

(6) The Administrator of the Med-QUEST division of the Department of Human Services or the Administrator's designee;

(7) The Insurance Commissioner or the Commissioner's designee; and

(8) The Administrator of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund or the Administrator's designee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Administrator of the State Health Planning and Development Agency is requested to invite one representative from each of the following organizations to participate as a member of the working group:

(1) Hawaii Health Information Exchange;

(2) Hawaii Association of Health Plans;

(3) Hawaii Medical Association; and

(4) Healthcare Association of Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the majority of the working group members may invite other individuals with relevant knowledge and expertise, including representatives from state agencies, stakeholders, and experts, to be members of the working group; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to:

(1) Explore the development of a health data sharing standardization package that includes a universal data sharing agreement and common set of policies and procedures that will:

(A) Leverage and advance national standards for information sharing and data content; and

(B) Govern and require the sharing of health information among health care entities and government agencies in the State;

(2) Identify health information data that should be shared for specific purposes between health care entities and government agencies;

(3) Identify and propose solutions to gaps in the life cycle of health information, including gaps in any of the following:

(A) Health information creation, including the use of national standards in clinical documentation, health plan records, and social services data;

(B) Translation, mapping, controlled vocabularies, coding, and data classification; and

(4) Identify ways to incorporate the following into shared health information:

(A) Data related to social determinants of health;

(B) Data related to underserved or underrepresented populations; and

(5) Address the privacy, security, and equity risks of expanding care coordination, health information exchange, access, and telehealth in a dynamic technological, and entrepreneurial environment, where data and network security are under constant threat of attack;

(6) Develop policies and procedures that are consistent with national standards and federally adopted standards in the exchange of health information;

(7) Ensure that health information sharing broadly implements national frameworks and agreements that are consistent with federal rules and programs;

(8) Develop definitions of complete clinical, administrative, and claims data that are consistent with federal policies and national standards;

(9) Assess governance structures to help guide policy decisions and general oversight; and

(10) Identify federal, state, private, or philanthropic sources of funding that could support data access and exchange; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group be dissolved on June 30, 2025; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives; President of the Senate; Director of Health; Chief Information Officer; Administrator of the State Health Planning and Development Agency of the Department of Health; Administrator of the Med-QUEST division of the Department of Human Services; Insurance Commissioner; and Administrator of the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefit's Trust Fund.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

DOH; State Health Planning and Development Agency; Health Data Sharing Working Group; Report

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	7
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII