Executive order establishes framework to advance secure health information sharing, improve coordination among healthcare providers and build on recent federal investment.
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Governor Albert Bryan Jr. has taken a major step toward modernizing healthcare in the U.S. Virgin Islands through an executive order establishing an interim framework for the Virgin Islands Health Data Utility (HDU), an initiative designed to improve how hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers securely share patient information and coordinate care across the Territory.
The executive order establishes the leadership, governance, and organizational structure necessary to advance the proposed Health Data Utility while legislation to formally establish the entity moves forward. The initiative builds on the Bryan-Roach Administration’s investments in healthcare technology and the recent selection of the Virgin Islands as the nation’s first implementation site for a federal health information exchange initiative.
At its core, the Health Data Utility is intended to address a longstanding challenge in the Virgin Islands healthcare system: ensuring that patients’ medical information is securely accessible to authorized healthcare providers when and where it is needed.
For Virgin Islanders who routinely travel between St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John and the U.S. mainland for medical treatment, better access to health records can mean fewer repeated tests, less time spent waiting for information and improved coordination among medical professionals.
“When you’re sick and need medical care, the last thing you should have to worry about is whether your doctor can get your medical records,” Governor Bryan said. “We have people traveling between islands and going to the mainland for treatment every day. Their medical information should be able to follow them securely so the doctors treating them have what they need to make the best decisions. That’s what we’re working toward. We’ve invested in the technology, we’ve built the partnerships, and now we’re putting the structure in place to make sure this work continues and benefits Virgin Islanders for years to come.”
Under the executive order, the interim framework will operate within the Office of the Governor in collaboration with the Virgin Islands Office of Health Information Technology (OHIT), which was established by Governor Bryan in 2022 to coordinate the modernization of the Territory’s healthcare information systems.
The framework will be led by a Senior Health Data Utility Advisor, supported by dedicated staff and a nine-member Health Data Utility Board representing major healthcare institutions, government agencies, medical providers and patient advocates from both districts.
The board will help guide the development of legislation, patient privacy safeguards, data-sharing policies and the organizational structure necessary for the Health Data Utility to eventually operate as an independent, nonprofit public-benefit corporation.
The executive order also authorizes the board to organize a nonprofit corporation to pursue grants, develop partnerships and undertake other preparatory work. The permanent Health Data Utility, however, will require legislative authorization, and any transfer of government assets, contracts or data must comply with applicable law.
The Governor has allocated $500,000 from lawfully available funding sources to support the interim framework, including staffing, stakeholder engagement, legislative coordination and operational planning.
The Senior Advisor will be required to submit an initial work plan within 60 days of designation and provide progress reports to the Governor every 60 days thereafter. The interim framework will remain in place for up to 24 months or until the permanent Health Data Utility’s governing board is constituted under the proposed legislation, whichever occurs first.
Building on Federal Investment and Existing Progress
The executive order follows the recent announcement that the U.S. Virgin Islands was selected as the first implementation site for the National Trusted Exchange Implementation Initiative, supported by a nearly $600,000 federal contract awarded to Zane Networks and its partners, net.America and CRISP Shared Services.
That initiative will help strengthen the Territory’s ability to participate in secure nationwide health information sharing while developing solutions that can serve as a model for other U.S. territories, Tribal Nations and rural communities.
The administration has also supported the development of the Virgin Islands’ first Health Information Exchange, which is operational, along with more than $1.3 million in previously secured federal funding for healthcare technology improvements, electronic medical records connectivity and disaster recovery capabilities.
OHIT Executive Director Michelle M. Francis has led much of that work, helping establish the technological foundation and partnerships necessary to connect the Territory’s healthcare providers.
The proposed Health Data Utility represents the next phase of those efforts, providing a long-term governance and operational structure to sustain the technology and expand its benefits throughout the healthcare system.
“This is about making our healthcare system work better for the people who depend on it,” Governor Bryan said. “Technology alone doesn’t solve the problem. You need the right people, the right safeguards and a system that can be sustained. We’ve made significant progress building that foundation, and this is how we keep moving forward.”
The administration will continue working with the Legislature, healthcare providers and federal partners to advance the enabling legislation and prepare for the Health Data Utility’s eventual implementation.
For more information about the Virgin Islands Office of Health Information Technology, visit https://ohit.vi.gov.
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