Health Information Bill compels providers to share patient data

The new bill is expected to take effect in early 2027.

All licensed healthcare providers will be required to share key patient information with the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) under the Health Information Bill, which is expected to take effect in early 2027.

Key information includes allergies, vaccinations, diagnoses, medications, laboratory test results, radiological images, and discharge summaries, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH).

In line with this, the bill allows for the sharing of non-NEHR health information to support community health initiatives and community-based care.

Moreover, it introduces legislative safeguards to complement existing technical controls, such as regular audits to flag inappropriate access.

NEHR data access is limited to healthcare providers involved in a patient’s care, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health professionals.

“Access for employment or insurance purposes is prohibited, except for a specified list of medical examinations required or permitted under written law,” the ministry said.

Healthcare providers contributing to or accessing the NEHR, as well as entities sharing non-NEHR health information, must comply with cybersecurity and data security requirements.

Individuals will be able to monitor access to their NEHR information via the HealthHub application and report any unauthorised access to the MOH. Patients with specific concerns may also place access restrictions through the platform.