MATCH IT Act of 2024 Patient Matching And Transparency in Certified Health IT Act of 2024
The enactment of HB7379 would result in considerable changes to the Public Health Service Act. It expands the responsibilities of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure timely updates and reviews of patient matching standards, with consultation from various stakeholders including healthcare providers and technology vendors. By incorporating a minimum data set for patient matching, the legislation aims to facilitate smoother electronic health record (EHR) technology implementation, which is vital for achieving the interoperability goals set forth in previous legislative measures like the 21st Century Cures Act.
House Bill 7379, known as the 'MATCH IT Act of 2024', seeks to improve patient safety and healthcare efficiency by establishing standards and protocols for accurate patient matching in health records. This is a pressing issue due to significant reports estimating that approximately 20% of patients may not be accurately matched with their medical records, leading to costly errors and hampering interoperability in the healthcare system. The bill mandates the creation of a national strategy to define patient match rates, aiming to reduce discrepancies and enhance the overall reliability of patient information across healthcare providers.
Despite its intended benefits, HB7379 may face contention regarding the implementation of the standards and who is responsible for enforcing them. Concerns may arise from healthcare providers about the feasibility of achieving high patient match rates as defined by the legislation. Additionally, there could be opposition on the grounds of privacy and data security, as improved data standardization might also raise questions about how patient information is managed and safeguarded within health information systems.