Nancy Ferris reports: Provisions to strengthen privacy protections for patients will be added to the long-stalled Wired for Health Care Quality Act in the Senate under an agreement between the sponsors and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.). Leahy’s concerns about the security and privacy of health records had held up Senate action on the bill, the…
Author: Dissent
Health Data Systems Need A Comprehensive Privacy and Security Framework
CDT’s Health Privacy Project today released a paper urging policymakers and the private sector to develop and implement a comprehensive privacy and security framework to govern the wide range of computer and Internet-based systems being created to share sensitive health information. The paper examines the key issues confronting the adoption of information technology in the…
Watchdog criticises EU plan to share DNA data
Mark John reports in Reuters: The European Union has rushed through rules giving police access to DNA databases across the bloc without regard for proper safeguards, a data protection watchdog said on Thursday. Tourists could find themselves suspects in a cross-border criminal investigation merely for having had a drink at a motorway service station, European…
City woman pleads guilty to HIPPA (sic) violation for disclosing patient information used to commit identity theft
As an update to an incident included in the breach chronologies archived here, Leslie Howell has pleaded guilty to violating HIPAA. From the press release: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – John C. Richter, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, announced today that LESLIE A. HOWELL, 30, of Oklahoma City, pled guilty today…
Man 'Devastated' When Doctor Tells Boss Of HIV Status
A Boston man said his right to privacy was broken and now he’s suing his hospital and doctor for negligence. NewsCenter 5’s Kelley Tuthill reported that the man, who did not use his name, is HIV positive and that information was accidentally given to his boss. The man said the mistake has been devastating. “I…
U tightens medical privacy policies
Carlos Mayorga reports in the Daily Utah Chronicle, the U. of Utah student newspaper: Officials in several U health science facilities are working to toughen enforcement of privacy policies and procedures after an audit in October 2007 revealed several key vulnerabilities in employees’ ability to protect patient information. For two months in late 2007, four…