Managing Patient Consent in a Master Patient Index

Abstract

A system and method for managing patient consent. A data access manager includes a controller, a lookup module, a clinical authorization engine, a logging/auditing unit, a user profile engine, a report module and a user interface engine. The controller manages the core functions and the transmission of data between the data access manager components. The lookup module enables a user to query patient data. The clinical authorization engine authorizes access to patient data. The logging/auditing unit logs and monitors user activity. The user profile engine accesses and updates user profile information. The patient profile engine accesses and updates patient profile information. The report module generates reports related to the user activity. The user interface engine generates user interfaces for displaying the user profiles and patient information data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method executed on one or more processors for managing patient consent, the method comprising:
 receiving, with the one or more processors, private patient information associated with a health care information system of a provider;   determining, with the one or more processors, that the private patient information includes confidential data based on an indicator, wherein data is confidential data when the indicator associated with the data indicates that the data is inaccessible to a health care entity, the health care entity having an authorized relationship with the patient;   receiving a request from a user for accessing the confidential data; and   determining whether the user is allowed to access the confidential data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the health care entity is another health care information system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the health care entity is another health care provider. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is associated with at least one of a patient profile and an encounter associated with the patient profile. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a confidentiality alert responsive to the user not being allowed to access the confidential data, wherein the confidentiality alert requests a type of access and a reason for accessing the confidential data, the reason including an emergency permission; and   ignoring patient consent to identify affected patients during an emergency.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising logging access activity of one or more users, the patient information accessible by the one or more users and generating a report based on the access of the patient information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the patient information includes confidential data is based on whether a patient opted-in or opted-out of exchanging the patient information. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising anonymizing the patient information and transmitting the anonymized patient information to the user without patient consent. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining an age of the patient and denying access to the patient information in accordance with a state law. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 analyzing access of the confidential data   determining a pattern of access of the confidential data; and   determining, based on the pattern, whether an access violation has occurred.   
     
     
         11 . A system for managing patient consent, the system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a data access manager stored on a memory and executable by the processor, the data access manager receiving private patient information associated with a health care information system of a provider, determining that the private patient information includes confidential data based on an indicator, wherein data is confidential data when the indicator associated with the data indicates that the data is inaccessible to a health care entity, the health care entity having an authorized relationship with the patient, receiving a request from a user for accessing the confidential data and determining whether the user is allowed to access the confidential data.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the health care entity is another health care information system. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the health care entity is another health care provider. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the indicator is associated with at least one of a patient profile and an encounter associated with the patient profile. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a user interface engine stored on the memory and executable by the one or more processors, the user interface engine, responsive to the user not being allowed to access the confidential data, providing a confidentiality alert, the confidentiality alert requesting a type of access and a reason for accessing the confidential data, the reason including an emergency permission; and   wherein the data access manager ignores patient consent to identity affected patients during an emergency.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the data access manager logs access activity of one or more users, the one or more users having access to the patient information and wherein the data access manager generates a report based on a plurality of access events by the one or more users. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining whether the patient information includes confidential data is based on whether a patient opted-in or opted-out of exchanging the patient information. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the data access manager anonymizes the patient information and transmits the anonymized patient information to the user without patient consent. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the data access manager determines an age of the patient and denies access to the patient information in accordance with a state law. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:
 receive private patient information associated with a health care information system of a provider;   determine that the private patient information includes confidential data based on an indicator, wherein data is confidential data when the indicator associated with the data indicates that the data is inaccessible to a health care entity, the health care entity having an authorized relationship with the patient;   receive a request from a user for accessing the confidential data; and   determine whether the user is allowed to access the confidential data.