About Us
IQH began work on the Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration (HISPC) in May 2006, along with 33 states and one territory, through a contract with RTI International and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In the first phase, IQH assessed variations in organization-level business policies and state laws regarding the transmission of health information; identified barriers, business practices or policies which impeded health information exchange. IQH identified and proposed practical solutions to overcome the identified barriers and developed a state specific implementation plan. Similar to findings in other HISPC states, in Mississippi there is a lack of knowledge of state and federal laws and misinterpretation in the application of HIPAA regulations. This finding served as the basis for the development of the Mississippi Health Information Security and Privacy Center (MSHISPC) for healthcare professionals and consumers. The Web site offers professional and consumer resources, self-study modules, links to related statewide and national Web sites and security and privacy information. The MSHISPC will serve as an information center for healthcare providers, professionals, and consumers.
The Health Information Security and Privacy Collaboration (HISPC), has grown to include 42 states and territories. The third phase of the project involves seven multi-state collaboratives. Mississippi is involved in the Provider Education Collaborative along with Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee and Wyoming. The Provider Education Collaborative aims to effectively address privacy and security issues pertinent to electronic health information exchange by launching the HISPC Provider Education Toolkit. The Web-based toolkit, to be introduced as a pilot in January 2009, will provide information on electronic health information exchange (HIE) as well as tools and resources related to privacy and security issues. In addition, physicians can earn free continuing medical education credits while learning more about HIE. The pilot, which runs through March 2009, will be evaluated for its impact on physicians and the medical community. The ultimate goal is to create an education and outreach toolkit for providers nationwide.
