Policies in Practice Overview
Providing individuals access to their own information is well-rooted in Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs) and a basic expectation for health IT. Convenient access to one’s own personal health information serves as a building block to helping people lead healthier lives and get higher-quality, more cost-effective care.
The Markle Connecting for Health Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information released in 2008 recommends practices that encourage appropriate handling of personal health information as it flows to and from electronic personal health records (PHRs) and similar applications or supporting services. It is built upon a set of FIPPs-based core principles that provide the foundation for managing personal health information within consumer-accessible data streams.
The Markle Common Framework approach has been applied to create two bodies of work related to the following specific health information technology (IT) contexts:
| The Markle Common Framework for Private and Secure Health Information Exchange (released in 2006) | The Markle Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information (released in 2008) |
|---|---|
| Purpose: Helps health information networks to share information among their members and nationwide while protecting privacy and allowing for local autonomy and innovation. | Purpose: Recommends practices that encourage appropriate handling of personal health information as it flows to and from electronic PHRs and similar applications or supporting services. |
| Focus: Specific to the context of the electronic exchange of patient information among health professionals and health care entities. | Focus: Specific to the context of connecting individuals online to their own information, such as via electronic PHRs, or to other health- related services and applications that use the individual’s personal health information. |
The Markle Connecting for Health Common Framework Policies in Practice for Networked Personal Health Information (Policies in Practice) is an addendum to the Markle Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information. The Policies in Practice were developed through a collaborative process by a diverse group of health care leaders with hands on experience implementing or using consumer access services, including technology experts, consumer representatives, and health care providers.
The Policies in Practice address the following areas:
Policies in Practice: The Download Capability. Outlines the basic requirements for giving patients access to personal health information through a download capability.
Consumer Policy Brief. Explores how “Millie”—a fictitious 21st Century consumer—would benefit under a Common Framework to help her obtain and control electronic copies of her personal health information and connect to health information services.
Consumer Technology Brief. Outlines key messages of the technology resources of the Markle Common Framework.
Individual Access: Connecting Patients with Their Health Information. Identifies and specifies opportunities for addressing individual access and engagement in relation to health information sharing.
Frequently Asked Questions. Provides answers to frequently asked questions about the Markle Connecting for Health Common Framework.
©2008-2012, Markle Foundation
This work was originally published as part of a compendium called The Markle Connecting for Health Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information. It is made available free of charge, but subject to the terms of a License. You may make copies of this work; however, by copying or exercising any other rights to the work, you accept and agree to be bound by the terms of the License. All copies of this work must reproduce this copyright information and notice.