Laura Donnelly reports: The association said the Government was “dancing with the devil” with its proposals to give researchers, which could include commercial organisations, access to a giant computer database of patient records. The Government’s own health information watchdog has also written to ministers to express his concern about the plans, which could see…
Author: Dissent
MN: Identity theft unravels with web of lies
Shawn Hogendorf reports: Police have unraveled a web of lies worthy of being written into a complicated movie plot after a 42-year-old woman from Savage allegedly stole the identities of at least eight people across the country and then used the information to obtain credit cards, make numerous purchases and acquire utility services. Nicole Frances…
UK: Raider steals medical files
Emily Allen reports: The confidential medical records of 8,000 patients have been stolen in a break-in at a Didcot health centre. Details of the burglary, where the medical notes of every person registered at Oak Tree Health Centre, in Ladygrove, were stolen on an encrypted tape, only emerged this week when patients were sent a…
Secretary Leavitt Announces New Principles, Tools to Protect Privacy, Encourage More Effective Use of Patient Information to Improve Care
An HHS press release from Dec. 15: The growing computerization, exchange and analysis of patient data offer the potential to improve the quality of care and reduce costs and medical errors, but those benefits won’t be fully realized until privacy concerns are effectively addressed, HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said today. In a keynote address…
Your Privacy Is Protected Only if You Are Really Sick
Saul Hansell has an interesting blog in the NY Times today: The advertising trade group that proposed that people with cancer deserve more privacy protections than those with heart disease has adopted a new version of its guidelines for how ad networks use data about Internet users. It is no longer trying to distinguish between…
NH agency releases client data
The Associated Press is reporting: The New Hampshire health department mistakenly released 9,300 names and Social Security numbers of Medicare recipients. In letters to clients and service providers obtained by The Associated Press, the department says it is taking steps to make sure no information was used illegally. But the department is urging clients to…