Health information exchanges cannot share sensitive patient information beyond a simple point-to-point exchange without first obtaining a patient's consent, concluded the federal privacy and security tiger team.

The panel, which advises the Health Policy Committee, clarified the matter at an Aug. 16 meeting. Its previous guidance on the privacy obligations of health information exchanges (HIEs) had been unclear, according to panel members.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra joined a diverse group of statewide healthcare and technology agencies Tuesday at the UC Davis Cancer Center in Sacramento to launch the California Telehealth Network (CTN), which is set to be the largest in the nation.