In Brief: Kansas Data Linked To CDC; Minnesota Sued Over Abortion Funding
Kansas Health Information Neworking Now Sharing Data With CDC
The Kansas Health Information Network has begun sharing its hospital data with an entity that coordinates it with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
KHIN is working with ICA, a firm that provides technologies to operate health information exchanges, and BioSense, which coordinates data for CDC reporting. The data, such as hospital emergency room visits, can be used to potentially detect public health threats as they emerge.
“KHIN provides deidentified health information from Kansas patients to BioSense in real time,” said Laura McCrary, Executive Direct of KHIN. “This data allows public health partners to rapidly assess potential health threats in Kansas more quickly than in the past when it was necessary to rely on phone calls or fax.” McCrary added that the arrangement also helps Kansas providers to meet stage 2 of meaningful use regulations regarding the sharing of surveillance data with public health agencies.
State officials said the arrangement would also improve the overall health of Kansans.
“The utilization of the HIE to submit data to BioSense in Kansas has brought us more quickly to the point where we can begin monitoring patient health in the aggregate to further improve outcomes in our state,” said Charles Hunt, director of the bureau of epidemiology and public health informatics at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “Working in conjunction with the CDC will provide a timely and cohesive picture at the state level to detect and characterize public health problems early and coordinate appropriate responses.”
Group Sues Minnesota Department of Health Services Over Abortion Funding
A conservative political group has sued the state of Minnesota, claiming it has illegally paid for thousands of abortions for indigent women dating back to 1999.
According to the lawsuit filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, Minnesota law and legal precedent means the state may only pay for abortions if the life or health of the mother is in danger. Instead, the group claims that no more than 10,044 state-funded abortions meet that criterion, but the state paid for 47,095 abortions.
The suit, which was filed in St. Paul, is seeking a preliminary injunction against the Minnesota Department of Human Services from performing any non-therapeutic abortions, as well as an end to all abortions until the DHS can prove the funds are being used properly. It also wants the agency to recover all payments from provider for abortions deemed to be unlawful.
Although Planned Parenthood of Minnesota is not named in the lawsuit, it is the state's largest abortion provider, and would likely be adversely impacted if the litigation is found in favor of the plaintiff.
The DHS said in a statement it would file a response to the lawsuit in a timely manner.
