Public Health Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: HB-6489
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S
RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING REMOTE ACCESS TO MEDICAL
Title: RECORDS MAINTAINED BY HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
Vote Date: 3/12/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 3/3/2021
File No.: 228
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
The Public Health Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
This bill requires hospitals to provide the Department of Public Health (DPH) access,
including remote access if technically feasible, to complete electronic medical records on
reportable diseases and emergency illnesses and health conditions. It also requires hospitals
to grant DPH access to complete patient medical records related to the Connecticut Tumor
Registry and Maternal Mortality Review Program, if deemed necessary.
Finally, this legislation requires DPH, no earlier than July 1, 2021, to establish a one-year
pilot program to test the impact of providing the department remote access to complete
hospital electronic medical records related to birth defects, births, fetal deaths, and death
occurrences.
In addition, the Connecticut Hospital Association will identify one hospital to participate in the
pilot program, and that hospital must share complete electronic medical records the
department deems necessary to perform quality improvement audits.
The bill requires DPH, no earlier than July 1, 2022, to evaluate the pilot program and
determine whether it will be fully implemented. If so, hospitals must start providing DPH
access to these records on a continual basis.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Connecticut Department of Public Health offers support of this bill. The passage of this
legislation would allow the Department remote access to specific types of medical records
and the authority to develop a pilot program that would determine the impact of providing
remote access to certain electronic medical records maintained by a hospital. As stated in the
testimony, "[t]o protect public health, the Department conducts surveillance for reportable
diseases and emergency syndromes Medical records of patients are reviewed to collect
data related to patient demographics, disease severity, risk factors for disease, and
reportable diseases or conditions.
Accurate and complete data is essential to inform prevention measures. Historically,
conducting medical record reviews has been a time-consuming effort for agency staff, in part
due to the travel time required to visit all hospitals statewide." Additionally, having remote
access allows the DPH staff to navigate patients' records and see medical history. Eliminating
multiple in-person trips for patients would equate to a gain "of ten hours or more per month of
productive work time, in addition to averted costs for mileage reimbursements." Overall, this
legislation would assist the Department by "increasing efficiency, improving cost-
effectiveness of staff time and processes and facilitating more timely follow-up on reportable
diseases and conditions which can lead to better prevention activities and healthier
Connecticut residents."
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Stamford Public Health:
Stamford Public Health, an independent non-profit health care system, offers support for the
passage of this bill. As stated in the testimony, "Stamford Health supports DPH having
access to information it needs to fulfill its responsibilities and it is appreciative of reducing
hospital administrative burdens while ensuring security standards concerning protected
health information, which are continuously evolving, are maintained."
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
None
Reported by: Kassandra Fruin Date: 3/29/2021
Page 2 of 2 HB-6489


Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
PH Joint Favorable:
File No. 228: