Coalition asks $15,500 to maintain Utah’s statewide forensic electronic medical record for sexual‑assault exams

Representatives of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault asked the Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee on Jan. 31 for $15,500 in ongoing funding to continue the forensic electronic medical record (FEMR) system used for sexual‑assault exams statewide.

Susan Chasten, program manager for the SANE program at the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, told the committee that Utah is the only state with a single FEMR used by 23 SANE programs. The system allows secure transmission of exam documentation and thousands of forensic images directly to law enforcement and crime labs, the presenters said, limiting re‑traumatization and improving evidence handling.

Chasten said the system also supports peer review and training for nurses in rural communities and ensures long‑term preservation: unlike ordinary hospital records that can be destroyed after a few years, FEMR records must be retained for 50 years under applicable rules. The $15,500 ongoing request would maintain an existing contract and cover licensing and hosting to keep the record secure and available to authorized users.

On access and privacy, Chasten said the FEMR is HIPAA‑compliant and not directly accessible to outside physicians; patients are discharged with clinical instructions if they need follow‑up care. The coalition emphasized the system’s role in evidence integrity and survivor privacy.

Ending: Committee members asked clarifying questions; no formal appropriation vote occurred at the hearing.