Since 2013, there has been a trend in hospitals regarding patients' ability to electronically view, download, and transmit health information. Which statement is accurate?

• A. There has been a significant increase in access with increased patient engagement functionalities.
• B. There has been a significant decrease in access.
• C. There has been no change in access.
• D. There has been fluctuating access with inconsistent engagement features.

Answer: (A)

Growing patient access to electronic health information is being driven by policy and technology shifts that require or encourage hospitals to make records available online and to support easy sharing with patients. Initiatives like the HITECH Act and updates to HIPAA expanded patients’ rights to view, download, and transmit their records, and Meaningful Use programs pushed hospitals to implement patient portals. Later, the 21st Century Cures Act and related ONC rules strengthened interoperability and required secure API access, making it easier for patients to access their data across platforms and to engage with their health information. Taken together, these developments have increased both access and patient engagement features rather than reducing access, keeping access steady, or fluctuating with inconsistent engagement.