HHS has revised its Connect software to incorporate identity authentication and patient query functions, Government Health IT reports.
Connect is an open-source software package that allows federal health agencies and other organizations to exchange electronic health record data through the Nationwide Health Information Network. The Federal Health Architecture routinely updates Connect based on recommendations from an advisory group.
Les Westberg, Connect's technical lead in FHA, discussed the system's latest upgrades during a Web conference last week and explained that Connect's identity authentication functions will align with many of the latest security standards.
In addition, Westberg described a new function that allows Connect users to query for a specific patient. If the software identifies the patient in question, Connect can:
- Check the patient's demographics against a master patient index before relaying the information;
- Generate and document the results; or
- Return results through the adapter between the health care provider and Connect (Mosquera, Government Health IT, 1/22).