Q&A: MHCC’s Ben Steffen on the future of CRISP and health information exchanges

Ben Steffen is the executive director of the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC), an independent regulatory agency under the Department of Health. MHCC designates Maryland’s health information exchange (HIE), the Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP). 

In this Q&A, Steffen reflects on the role CRISP played in mapping the COVID-19 pandemic and how HIEs are key to strengthening Maryland’s public health infrastructure.

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State of Reform: What role does MHCC play in Maryland’s health information technology landscape? 

Ben Steffen: “The health care commission has had a longstanding interest in health information technology that comes off of our statutory authority to develop an All-Payer claims database and to provide some oversight to electronic health clearinghouses in the state. Beginning with the passage of the [Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act] and the federal government’s investment in electronic health technology, we’ve also expanded that to look more broadly at the exchange of clinical information to further and foster clinical care. That was memorialized beginning in 2008-2009, when the health commission was given the authority of designating a statewide health information exchange, which is CRISP. 

That moved the heath care commission into a much more engaged relationship with health care providers in particular as we worked initially close to establish what was in 2008-2009 a fledgling organization. CRISP is now quite visible throughout the state, continuing to be the state-designated health information exchange. 

The commission works in two areas. One is to promote the exchange of clinical information. We’re certainly not the only entity that does that—the federal government has a significant role to play. Our role is to layer on top of what the federal government does to build out capabilities and protections that are valued in Maryland. We are active in that regard to foster the adoption of electronic health records, promote interoperability, and at the same time, make sure that Maryland law aligns with the privacy concerns of Maryland stakeholders, including not only provider interests, but consumers as well. So, the commission has a unique perspective, in that we see enormous value in the exchange of clinical information, but we’re also very cognizant of the importance of protecting that information and ensuring patients have a say in how information can be shared.” 

SOR: How does the commission and CRISP balance provider and consumer-facing health information in the same system, while addressing privacy concerns? 

BS: “In terms of what CRISP offers, it’s very much now a provider-focused environment … What is available to the public is the ability to opt out of information sharing on CRISP and a description of what information is shared. Up to now, relatively small numbers of the Maryland public opt out of CRISP—approximately 10,000 people. What…