Background & Regulations Development

OHS is the designated state agency with administrative oversight for the State-wide Health Information Exchange (Connie), pursuant to Conn. Gen. Statute Sec. 17b-59d; Connie's operations commenced May 3, 2021. In accordance with HIE enabling legislation, all licensed healthcare providers are required to connect to and participate with Connie by May 3, 2023.  

Leading up to the statutory deadline for providers to connect to and participate with Connie, OHS engaged various types of providers to explore unique needs and any barriers associated with connecting. Throughout the stakeholder engagement, which remains ongoing, OHS received a variety of questions, most of which have related to the following topics: 

• The requirement to connect with Connie;
• Patient Privacy, Data Sharing and provider obligations for purposes of Connie;
• The technical specifications for connecting with Connie; and
• Opting-out of data sharing with Connie.

While the development of policies, procedures and regulations for the HIE is underway, and stakeholder engagement remains active, answers to some of the most common inquiries have been published on the agency website, within a FAQ section. The FAQ section will be updated periodically as further inquiries are received and guidance developed. Information on the status of regulations for the HIE can be found on the HIE Regulations Advisory Subcommittee webpage. 

Disclaimer – The FAQ’S are provided for informational purposes only. The FAQ’S are subject to change and information contained in them may differ from any formal Regulations promulgated by OHS, or any Policies and Procedures approved by the agency. The information provided should not be relied upon as legal guidance.