Providers and privacy advocates press for changes to Connecticut's health information exchange consent model

Connecticut’s statewide Health Information Exchange — known as Connie — drew sustained scrutiny during a Public Health Committee hearing as provider groups and state officials debated whether the exchange’s opt‑in/opt‑out model protects patient privacy while leaving clinicians the information they need.

Sumit Sajnani, Connecticut’s state health information technology officer (Office of Health Strategy), told the committee that Connie was designed and implemented after multi‑year public working groups and that the system currently operates on an opt‑in consent policy by default for full medical records. He described an extensive stakeholder process dating back to 2010 and to a 2024 statute requiring additional public subgroup review. He said the HIE is connected to roughly 3,000 provider locations and that the opt‑in design aligns with established national practice.

Provider groups, dental associations and the Connecticut Nurses Association urged changes. They warned of gaps in patient and provider protections and of practical problems: the timeline between…