Qualitative study of patient consent for health information exchange in an HIV clinic

Introduction/Background: Health information exchange (HIE) is the secure, electronic transfer and/or accessibility of clinical data among healthcare providers. In the United States (US), the consent process for participation varies state to state. New York State (NYS) mandates written patient consent. The purpose of this study was to examine workflow and perceptions related to obtaining HIE consent in an HIV clinic. Methods: We used contextual inquiry to observe the HIE consent-related workflow of four registration clerks for a total of 4 hours on two weekdays and subsequently created a flow chart and sequence model diagram. Clerks were also interviewed and the resulting narrative data were coded into themes. Results: Observational and interview data suggested that patient privacy/confidentiality/trust, high volume workflow, and multiple competing demands affect the patient HIE consent process. Conclusions: Additional qualitative data needs to be gathered from the perspectives of patients and clinicians about the HIE consent process.