21st Century Cures Act Information
What’s the 21st Century Cures Act?
The 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) is a United States federal law enacted at the end of 2016 and is designed to accelerate medical innovation, improve patient care, and provide better access to health information.
One of the main provisions of this law is to improve electronic health records (EHRs) and health information exchange to promote better care coordination and patient engagement.
How does this help patients?
The Cures Act requires that patients have access to their information and results from health care providers as quickly as possible. Therefore, patient portals—which permit patients to see a significant trove of information about themselves as soon as they log in to the sites—have become a key tool in meeting this obligation. A healthcare provider that holds onto finalized reports is considered “information blocking” under the federal law.
Important to Note*
While having immediate access to your results is important, one of the major consequences of the 21st Century Cures Act is that you may review your results before your healthcare provider has had the opportunity to. In some instances, the results could be distressing or lead to questions that will need to be answered by your referring provider.
Access at Your Fingertips
TRA Medical Imaging and Diagnostic Imaging Northwest have a couple different options for seamlessly accessing your results – the patient portal, and our new TRA and DINW Mobile Apps. To learn more about these options, visit tranow.com
If you have more questions please email, marketing@tranow.com.