Rebecca Vessely reports: Many Americans want electronic health records, and say they would access their personal health information online, but the majority are concerned about confidentiality issues, according to a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization. […] But just 12% reported they are extremely or very confident that their records…
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FTC cracks down on medical identity theft
Ann Zeigler reports: The FTC plans to issue a new consumer protection rule that will take on the issue of medical identity theft, a growing concern now that identity thieves have recognized that medical records are rich sources of financial information that can be used to obtain credit with someone else’s history. Alternate forms of…
Release by Employer of Protected Health Information Disclosed at Child Custody Hearing
An Apex, North Carolina couple filed a civil suit in Wake County Superior Court against the husband’s former employer(s), The Woodmoor Group Inc. and Accuro Healthcare Solutions, Inc., acquired by MedAssets, Inc., for damages suffered after the company disclosed protected health information. The couple is seeking an undisclosed amount of damages against MedAssets as…
Ie: Security standards issued for health
Greg Baxter reports: New standards on information security in the health sector have been issued by the International Organisation for Standards (ISO), an international body composed of representatives from various national standards organisations. The new guidelines address the increasing use of wireless and internet technologies in healthcare delivery, and the consequent growth of electronic exchange…
Comments Sought on How Patient Consent Will Work in Electronic Exchange
Draft recommendations released this week by the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) describe how patient consent should be obtained before a patient’s health information is exchanged electronically between entities participating in a regional health information organization (RHIO). The recommendations are part of a draft white paper released for public comment, developed by NYeC’s privacy and…
Health Information Technology: HHS Has Taken Important Steps to Address Privacy Principles and Challenges, Although More Work Remains
From the GAO report released yesterday: Summary Although advances in information technology (IT) can improve the quality and other aspects of health care, the electronic storage and exchange of personal health information introduces risks to the privacy of that information. In January 2007, GAO reported on the status of efforts by the Department of…