Patrick Springer reports: Mid Dakota Clinic of Bismarck has opted out of a major initiative by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota that involves sharing patient records with an outside consultant and cites patient privacy concerns as the reason. The program, MediQHome, is a “medical home” partnership between the health insurer and teams of…
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DNA = data not available?
@Bainesy1969 has a thought-provoking blog entry on the retention of DNA samples vs. DNA profiles in the UK and what EU law requires. He begins: On 26 July 2011 The Telegraph reported that “Innocent people’s DNA profiles won’t be deleted after all, minister admits”. It said that “police will retain DNA profiles in anonymised form, leaving…
Kansas doctor cites privacy in abortion records
A Kansas doctor testified Thursday in a disciplinary hearing that she omitted some details from her medical records for late-term abortion patients because she wanted to protect their privacy. Ann Kristin Neuhaus said she feared abortion opponents might obtain the information and make it public. Read more from Associated Press on KansasCity.com. Keeping minimal or…
HHS names Rodriguez chief health data privacy enforcer
Mary Mosquera reports: Leon Rodriguez, a former prosecutor and healthcare provider lawyer, has taken the reins as director of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which oversees health information privacy. The Health and Human Services Department announced his appointment Sept. 13. Read more on Healthcare Finance.
New HIPAA rules won’t enhance privacy, but they will burden physicians
Jared M. Rhoads, Director of the Center for Objective Health Policy, comments: Hospitals and physician practices are waiting with bated breath for the final changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is expected to release by the end of the year. One of the new rules could require healthcare…
Canadians denied U.S. entry over mental illness
Sarah Bridge reports: More than a dozen Canadians have told the Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office in Toronto within the past year that they were blocked from entering the United States after their records of mental illness were shared with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Lois Kamenitz, 65, of Toronto contacted the office last fall,…