In brief

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is conducting a public consultation from 11 December 2023 to 11 January 2024 on the proposed Health Information Bill (HIB).

Through the HIB, the MOH intends to establish a framework governing the safe collection, use and sharing of health information across Singapore’s healthcare ecosystem to facilitate better continuity and seamless transition of care.

Contents

1. Background
2. Main objectives of the HIB
3. Enforcement of the HIB

During the parliamentary debates on the White Paper on Healthier SG, the MOH raised that one of the key tools for successfully implementing Healthier SG is the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR), a central repository of patient summary health records. The NEHR is intended to establish a network between public and private healthcare institutions to improve the flow of data across the healthcare ecosystem.

To facilitate the proper collection, use and sharing of health data among healthcare providers in a safe and secure manner through the NEHR, the MOH announced its intention to introduce the HIB in 2023.

Further background is set out in our previous client alert of March 2023.

The HIB serves to fulfill three main objectives.

1. Ensure that health information is kept updated, accurate and accessible

It will be mandatory for all licensed healthcare providers and approved contributors to contribute patient health data to the NEHR.

Access to a patient’s summary medical records will be provided to licensed healthcare providers and approved users.

This facilitates more coordinated, efficient and appropriate care as ...