Chairman Alexander: Administration Proposals Will Help Patients Access Their Personal Medical Information

WASHINGTON, February 11, 2019 — Senate health committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said the new Trump Administration proposals to improve electronic health records will help patients access their personal medical information.

"These proposed rules remove barriers and should make it easier for patients to more quickly access, use, and understand their personal medical information. It should also unleash new ways of helping doctors and other medical providers to make sense of that information in ways that lead to better health care experiences, better outcomes, and lower costs for patients. Our committee will continue careful oversight of these new rules which affect almost every American and are an important result of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act."

Background:

The Senate health committee had six hearings in 2015 to explore ways to get our nation’s system of health information technology out of a ditch and make it useful for doctors and patients. The committee then authored the 21st Century Cures Act which directed the Department of Health and Human Services to make proposals to improve electronic health records.