New Hampshire Senate Bill SB337

New Hampshire 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 12/15/21
• Refer: 12/15/21
• Report Pass: 1/26/22
• Report Pass: 2/9/22
• Engrossed: 3/23/22
• Refer: 3/23/22
• Report Pass: 4/22/22
• Enrolled: 5/27/22
• Chaptered: 6/8/22
• Passed: 6/8/22

Caption

Relative to emergency medical and trauma services data sharing to the purposes of analysis.

Impact

The primary impact of SB337 on state laws involves modifications to RSA 21-P, facilitating better data analytics in emergency medical services. This bill not only enables the sharing of crucial data for health-related research and assessments but also creates a privacy committee responsible for reviewing and approving data sharing requests. By establishing these protocols, the bill aims to strengthen the emergency medical response system's ability to adapt and improve based on systematic evaluations, which is crucial for public safety and effective healthcare delivery.

Summary

Senate Bill 337-FN aims to enhance the ability of emergency medical and trauma services in New Hampshire to share data for research and analysis purposes, while ensuring the confidentiality of patient information is preserved. The bill amends existing statutes to broaden the permissible uses of emergency data, allowing it to be shared with various state and federal entities, and third-party researchers under strict confidentiality agreements. This sharing is intended to facilitate evaluations and modifications to the emergency medical system based on identified gaps in service delivery.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding SB337 revolve around the delicate balance between data sharing for analysis and protecting patient privacy. While proponents argue that the bill will enhance service delivery by enabling better data insights, some critics express concern that even with safeguards, there is a risk of breaching patient confidentiality. The establishment of a privacy committee aims to address these concerns by providing oversight, but the efficacy of this oversight and the potential for misuse of data remain areas of debate among stakeholders.