The purpose of these regulations is to enable the Commission to fully measure and compare hospital-specific performance on readmissions and to use the data to further enhance and strengthen the financial incentives linked with performance. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. Terms Defined. “Health Information Exchange (HIE)” means an infrastructure that provides organizational and technical capabilities for the exchange of protected health information electronically among entities not under common ownership. “Health Services Cost Review Commission (Commission)” means the independent organization within the Maryland Department of Health that is responsible for reviewing and approving the rates for hospitals pursuant to Health-General Article, §19-201 et seq., Annotated Code of Maryland. “Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC)” means the agency established by Health-General Article, Title 19, Subtitle 2, Annotated Code of Maryland. “Master Patient Index (MPI)” means an electronic database, created by the State-Designated HIE that maintains a unique index (or identifier) for every individual who has been, or who becomes, registered as a patient at a Maryland hospital. “State-Designated HIE” means an HIE designated by the MHCC. Effective December 1, 2011, each hospital under the jurisdiction of the Commission shall electronically connect to the State-Designated HIE to enable the Commission to fully measure hospital-specific performance on readmissions using the HIE’s MPI. Each hospital shall establish connectivity with the State-Designated HIE over a secure and encrypted connection. This connectivity shall be established using industry standards specified by the State-Designated HIE. Each hospital under the jurisdiction of the Commission shall collect and electronically submit to the State-Designated HIE the data elements as published in the Maryland Register and on the Commission’s website (http://www.hscrc.state.md.us). The format and data time period for submission shall also be published in the Maryland Register and on the Commission’s website. Data submitted in accordance with this chapter are not public information pursuant to Health-General Article, §19-207(d), Annotated Code of Maryland. The Commission will take reasonable steps to safeguard and protect the confidentiality of protected health information consistent with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Maryland Confidentiality of Medical Records Act, and all other applicable State and federal laws and regulations. Summary studies, reports, or other compilations developed by the Commission or its staff from the data submitted in accordance with this chapter shall be public information except that disclosure may not be made in such a way that the data furnished can lead to the identification of an individual. The Commission shall prescribe on its website the process for a hospital to submit corrections and revisions to the data it has submitted. Data submitted in accordance with this chapter shall be considered a required report under COMAR 10.37.01.03N. Health-General Article, §§19-143, 19-207, 19-212, 19-215, and 19-216, Annotated Code of Maryland Effective date: September 19, 2011 (38:18 Md. R. 1077)