Jericho Systems Launches Pilot to Advance Patient Control over Shared Medical Records under Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Pilot Program

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jericho Systems Corporation’s proposal to start a pilot exploring advanced patient control over shared medical records has been approved by members of the ONC Data Segmentation for Privacy (DS4P) pilot working group. The pilot will focus on how patients can better control the release of their Protected Health Information (PHI) when their medical records are requested electronically from their healthcare provider.

“The potential of this pilot is exciting”

“The ability to electronically exchange medical records when needed can result in better medical care for members of our mobile society,” said Jericho CEO Brynn Mow. “However, patients should be told when requests are made from outside their healthcare provider’s organization and be given the opportunity to control that release.”

The pilot will simulate the exchange of electronic medical records using a commonly used Internet specification called the eHealth Exchange (once known as the Nationwide Health Information Network Exchange). The simulated exchange will be augmented in the pilot by adding a centralized repository where simulated patients can specify conditions under which their PHI can be electronically shared. The pilot will also explore how requests for a patient’s PHI can be reported back to the patient so that each patient can be aware of who is asking for their medical information.

“The potential of this pilot is exciting,” said Jericho CTO David Staggs. “This is an opportunity to add transparency to the electronic exchange of a patient’s medical record.”

Just as the VA’s Blue Button initiative allows beneficiaries to download medical records and check them, the approved pilot may inspire future technologies that allow beneficiaries greater access to information concerning exchange of their PHI. Knowing who is trying to access PHI may also help future patients to identify possible medical identity theft or cases of mistaken identity that could impact their subsequent treatment.

Although the outcome of the pilot will be a vendor-neutral reference implementation, Jericho Systems will make their EnterSpace Exchange and EnterSpace Decisioning Service software available for the demonstration of the enforcement of simulated patient privacy preferences. Jericho Systems will also provide example user interfaces that allow simulated patients to view who has requested an electronic health record and allow them to change their privacy preferences.

Jericho Systems’ EnterSpace Exchange and EnterSpace Decisioning Service software were recently featured in a SAMHSA-VA Phase I healthcare pilot of a “push” ecosystem, conducted at the Health Level Seven (HL7) Working Group on behalf of the DS4P pilot working group. That effort showed the feasibility of enforcing access control policies to guide exchange of patients’ medical records and prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive treatment information.

“With years of engagement with the healthcare standards community, Jericho is proud to support the ONC and advance the next generation of secure medical information exchange technology," said Brynn Mow, CEO of Jericho Systems.

About Jericho Systems Corporation

Dallas-based Jericho Systems Corporation provides enterprise-scalable access control, decisioning, and privilege management solutions, with its largest customers representing the healthcare, Department of Defense, intelligence, and homeland security communities. Jericho specializes in fine-grained, policy-based data filtering technology that supports dynamic, attribute-based access control (ABAC).

Jericho's flagship EnterSpace® Decisioning Service (ESDS) software and related professional services facilitate information security, regulatory compliance, quality, and efficiency. ESDS improves collaboration and leverages the value of data by enabling timely and secure sharing of sensitive information between internal groups and with external organizations. To meet the unique needs of the healthcare market, Jericho’s EnterSpace Exchange™ enhances ESDS with additional components that control the flow of information in healthcare applications while ensuring patient privacy. The EnterSpace Exchange PatientPortal was recognized as a “Best Privacy Technology of 2012” at the Second International Summit on the Future of Health Privacy.

EnterSpace Technology® is covered by United States patents 7,779,247, 7,792,828 and 8,060,504. For more information or to arrange a product demonstration, please call 972-231-2000, email [e-mail], or visit www.jerichosystems.com.