The Tamesis
The Health Information Bill is expected to come into force in early 2027.
All licensed health care providers will be required to share critical patient information with the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) under the Health Information Act, which is expected to take effect in early 2027.
According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), key information includes allergies, vaccinations, diagnoses, medications, laboratory test results, radiology images and discharge summaries.
Accordingly, the bill permits the sharing of non-NEHR health information to support community health initiatives and community-based care.
In addition, it introduces legislative safeguards to complement existing technical controls, such as regular audits to flag inappropriate access.
NEHR data access is limited to health care providers involved in patient care, such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health professionals.
“Examinations for employment or insurance purposes are prohibited except for a specific list of medical examinations required or permitted by statutory law,” the ministry said.
Health care providers who contribute to or access the NEHR and entities that share non-NEHR health information must comply with cybersecurity and data security requirements.
Individuals will be able to monitor access to their NEHR information through the HealthHub app and report any unauthorized access to the MOH. Patients with specific concerns can also set access restrictions through the platform.
