HHS data collection now includes sexual orientation, gender identity and social determinants of health

The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology last week released version 2 of the United States Core Data for Interoperability, which gives health IT stakeholders a clearer direction toward the standardized and electronic exchange of data focused on social determinants of health, sexual orientation and gender identity.

HHS said that health care professionals, such as doctors and nurses, are not required to capture these data, but it does provide a path to support exchanging the data as it applies to an individual’s care.