Work group simplifies COSHI consent forms, keeps web-based revocation as first option

The Health IT Data Governance Work Group reviewed revised consent forms and graphics for COSHI and recommended plain-language edits, clearer contact options and alternative visuals while staff confirmed that the initial revocation method will be a web form.

Members of the work group praised simplifications to the consent language and fact sheet and asked staff to pursue practical changes to make revocation and partner transparency easier for people who are not highly technical.

Ally McGee, consent lead for OHA, said the team "did get you guys' feedback and made several changes to the form in our fact sheet," and walked the group through the agreement, contact-preference and FAQ sections. McGee said staff removed confusing legal footnotes and shortened the FAQ to make the material easier to read.

Staff explained how revocation will work in the first use case. Karen (OHA staff) said staff will provide a web-based revoke form that routes to customer service and will list participating organizations on the website so people can see which partners have access. "This is a blanket consent to share with all services," Karen said, noting the initial rollout will include a small set of partners that the agency expects to expand over time.

Participants raised several practical concerns. Multiple members asked that the phrase "social services" be changed to "social support resources" to avoid an association with the Department of Human Services; Rachel suggested that wording to reduce potential confusion. Others pushed staff to make contact options clearer — for example, reordering the contact line to read "email, phone or text" and adding checkboxes so users can pick preferred channels.

On revocation, members said limiting initial revocation to a web form risks excluding people without easy web access or those who sign consent at a provider and leave without a follow-up option. Staff acknowledged the concern and said the team will "take that back in house" to explore adding phone or email-based options and to provide brochures at participating sites and care coordinators who can help people revoke if needed.

The group also reviewed a draft graphic using an "express lane" metaphor to show how COSHI can help coordinate services. Several members warned that the express-lane visual could be read as promising faster service; John said, "Koshi might get a person connected with an agency faster, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the agency is gonna be able to serve them faster," and urged the design to emphasize connection and coordination rather than guaranteed speed. Participants suggested alternative metaphors — community webs, maps or paired scenes that show "connected" versus "disjointed" experiences — and asked designers to include diverse representations of people and clear labels that explain what the graphic is trying to convey.

Staff captured the group's suggestions and said they will incorporate wording changes (for example, replacing "social services" with "social support resources"), make the fact sheet and contact-preference items clearer, list participating organizations on the website, produce brochures to accompany the digital materials and refine graphics to emphasize connection and safety rather than coercion or speed. The group also suggested adding FAQ-focused graphics that explain what data are shared and with whom.

Next steps: staff will take the comments back to the design and operations teams, post a running list of participating organizations on the revoke page, continue to simplify the FAQs and consider options for phone or email revocation and for sending signers a copy of their consent (email or text) in the first use case. The work group will next meet to discuss data standards and COSHI's alignment with the Gravity Project.