Category: Uncategorized

Phil Galewitz of Kaiser Health News reports: When the oversized postcard arrived last August from Provena St. Joseph Medical Center promoting a lung cancer screening for current or former smokers over 55, Steven Boyd wondered how the hospital had found him. Boyd, 59, of Joliet, Ill., had smoked for decades, as had his wife, Karol….

Jen de Montalk reports: Health sector workers have two chances to make submissions on proposed amendments to the Privacy Act 1993 which will affect how health data is shared, according to the privacy commissioner. The privacy commissioner’s office has been working alongside the Law Commission to update the way agencies delivering public services use and…

A number of regular readers have e-mailed to ask why the blog is not being updated as frequently as it usually is. The answer is simple, but sad: my mother is dying. Updates will continue to be sporadic for a while as I am at the hospice every day to spend time with her as…

Dionne Cordell-Whitney reports: Minnesota collects DNA samples from newborn children, then illegally keeps the genetic information and shares it with third parties without informed consent of the parents, parents say in a class action. Lead plaintiffs Nathan and Katrina Anderson sued the state, the Minnesota Department of Health, and its commissioner, in Hennepin County Court….

A number of regular readers have e-mailed to ask why the blog is not being updated as frequently as it usually is. The answer is simple, but sad: my mother is dying. Updates will continue to be sporadic for a while as I am at the hospice every day to spend time with her as…

Advanced Occupation Medicine Specialists of Illinois reported a breach to HHS recently. They also created a web site about the incident on October 12. From the FAQ on the incident: On October 12, 2011, Advanced Occupational Medicine Specialists (AOMS) was notified that some of the letters dictated by its providers had been made publically searchable…