Minnesota law encourages health research based on data collection efforts by the Commissioner of Health.  The Commissioner should also use the collected data to conduct applied research, improve health care efficiency, and publicly disseminate research on health care delivery, costs, quality, and outcomes.1  The data and research initiatives must work in the interest of the public, improve the efficiency of health care delivery and financing, assist the state in identifying rates of disease prevalence and other health trends, and inform statewide health policies.2

        Minnesota law protects the confidentiality of individually identifiable patient information that is used for research purposes.  For example, providers must disclose to patients that their records may be released to an external researcher if the health records were created after January 1, 1997.3  In addition, information collected by the Commissioner of Health to conduct scientific or research studies is confidential and cannot be disclosed.4  However, no written authorization is needed for the disclosure of personal information held by a health insurer for research studies as long as the information is not individually identifiable, the information is destroyed or returned after the study, and the researcher agrees not to further disclose the information.5