VA, DOD are now live on national health data sharing superhighway
The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense have joined a national health data sharing network that already includes the Social Security Administration, Indian Health Service, and Consumer Product Safety Commission. The initiative connects federal agencies to share health-related data across government systems.
Why this matters: Veterans and active military are now part of a federal health data network that spans multiple agencies. That means their medical records can flow across systems they may not know exist, touching agencies like the Social Security Administration that make decisions about their benefits. Data sharing between agencies can improve care and cut bureaucracy. It can also expand the footprint of sensitive information in ways that are hard to track or undo. The question is whether the people whose data moves through this network have any real visibility into where it goes and who can act on it.
Who should care: Healthcare professionals · Privacy officers · Compliance
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