Seeking Input on Emergency Communications Technologies Survey and HIPAA RFI

NHTSA Emergency Medical Services sent this bulletin at 01/03/2019 08:15 AM EST

Two Opportunities to Share Your Ideas: Emergency Communications Technologies Survey and Modifying HIPAA Rules RFI

The Office of EMS encourages you to provide feedback on two important issues, detailed below. Your input is valuable in understanding the state of public safety technology and the  potential benefits of modifying existing HIPAA rules to promote the transformation to value-based healthcare.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology released a Public Safety Survey on Communication Technology to gather thoughts on the current state of communication technologies used by the public safety community. The 15-minute survey is confidential and open for input until January 31, 2019. 

The Department of Health and Human Services' Request for Information (RFI) on Modifying HIPAA Rules to Improve Coordinated Care is seeking input on ways to modify existing HIPAA rules to remove regulatory obstacles and decrease regulatory burdens in order to facilitate efficient care coordination and/or case management and to promote the transformation to value-based healthcare, while preserving the privacy and security of protected health information, or PHI. Comments will be accepted until February 12, 2019, and may be submitted: 

• Online through the Federal eRulemaking Portal (identified Docket No. HHS-OCR-0945-AA00)
• Through mail or hand delivery to: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, Attention: RFI, RIN 0945-AA00, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 509F, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Emergency Medical Services is proud to collaborate with federal partners to support efforts that contribute to reducing injury and mortality. To learn more about the Office of EMS and other nationally significant EMS projects, please visit EMS.gov.