DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

Electronic Health Records and Privacy Law

Posted on June 9, 2009 by Dissent

Eric A. Klein and Christine C. Cohn write in The National Law Journal:

President Obama has declared that electronic medical records will “reduce error rates, reduce our long-term cost of health care and create jobs.” (“Obama’s Prime Time Press Briefing,” The New York Times, Feb. 9, 2009.) Congress has authorized $19 billion to implement provisions of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 intended to accelerate the adoption and use of “certified electronic health record technology” during the next several years by hospitals and physicians that provide services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. (H.R. 1, 111th Cong. §§ 4001-4201 (2009).) Professionals and hospitals that fail to implement EHR technology by 2014 stand to suffer reductions in Medicare reimbursements.

The goal of this campaign is to adopt EHR technology to replace the current paper and fragmented computer files maintained by the vast majority of hospitals and physicians. Imagine a health information technology system that includes all of a patient’s diagnoses, medical history, laboratory and test results, medications prescribed, payor claims data, hospital records and other pertinent data. That system would be available to a patient’s health plan, hospital, pharmacy and doctors. Payors and regulators also can use this type of system to reduce fraud, waste and duplication, as well as control processing costs and improve disease-state management programs. EHR technology promises to reduce medication and other medical errors and streamline clinical decision-making and communication.

That “holy grail” has been envisioned by many participants in the health care industry today, but unfortunately it is not achievable under the current patchwork of federal and state laws and most existing health IT systems. In its ambitious effort to hasten the advent of EHR for the 21st century, the federal government actually may be working at cross-purposes with privacy protections established under federal and state law. Here’s why.

Read the full article on Law.com.

Category: Uncategorized

Post navigation

← Bits ‘n Pieces
Amicus Legal Ltd found in breach of the Data Protection Act →

1 thought on “Electronic Health Records and Privacy Law”

  1. Anonymous says:
    June 11, 2009 at 8:10 pm

    I hope there are provisions for individuals to opt out.

Comments are closed.

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • CoinMarketCap Hacked, Scrambles to Remove Malicious Wallet Verification Popup
  • Montana Attorney General launches investigation into Lee Enterprises data breach
  • AT&T gets preliminary approval for $177 million data breach settlement
  • Aflac notifies SEC of breach suspected to be work of Scattered Spider
  • Former JBLM soldier pleads guilty to attempting to share military secrets with China
  • No, the 16 billion credentials leak is not a new data breach — a wake-up call about fake news (Updated)
  • Tonga’s health system hit by cyberattack (1)
  • Russia Expert Falls Prey to Elite Hackers Disguised as US Officials
  • Proposed class action settlement in In re Netgain Technology litigation
  • Qilin Offers “Call a lawyer” Button For Affiliates Attempting To Extort Ransoms From Victims Who Won’t Pay

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • The Markup caught 4 more states sharing personal health data with Big Tech
  • Privacy in the Big Sky State: Montana’s Consumer Privacy Law Gets Amended
  • UK Passes Data Use and Access Regulation Bill
  • Officials defend Liberal bill that would force hospitals, banks, hotels to hand over data
  • US Judge Invalidates Biden Rule Protecting Privacy for Abortions
  • DOJ’s Data Security Program: Key Compliance Considerations for Impacted Entities
  • 23andMe fined £2.31 million for failing to protect UK users’ genetic data

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.