MOH invites public to comment on health information bill

The bill will create a framework to govern the safe sharing of health information.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore will conduct a public consultation from 11 December 2023 to 11 January 2024 to seek input on the proposed Health Information Bill (HIB).

Under the HIB, a framework will govern the safe collection, access, use, and sharing of health information across the healthcare ecosystem, to facilitate better continuity and seamless transition of care. The HIB will be tabled in Parliament in the first half of 2024.

The MOH consulted extensively on the proposed provisions of the HIB over the past year, with almost 40 focus group discussions conducted and over 1,000 stakeholders engaged. These include members of the public, licensees, healthcare professionals and associations, as well as IT vendors, to design and refine the Bill.

The health ministry is seeking the views of members of the public, patients, healthcare providers and data intermediaries whom this Bill will directly impact. The feedback will allow MOH to develop and implement robust policies, and build a safer and secure digitalised healthcare system.

MOH also noted that the bill will be necessary for the sharing of key health information of patients, such as their test results, vital signs, medications and allergies, which can facilitate more seamless and better care delivery.

"This will benefit patients by removing the need for repetitive laboratory or radiological tests, and for patients to repeat their medical history to various healthcare providers. More importantly, by having access to a common set of their patient’s key health information, healthcare providers will be able to make better clinical decisions for the benefit of their patients," said MOH.