Sue A. Blevins of nstitute for Health Freedom in Washington writes in the Christian Science Monitor: How would you feel about your personal health information flowing freely over the Internet between public health officials, healthcare providers, insurance and data clearinghouse companies, and others – without your permission? If this doesn’t sound like a good idea,…
UK: NHS hit by new data losses
Kate Foster of Scotland on Sunday reports: THE loss of confidential personal data has become so widespread that patients’ groups last night launched a campaign to tighten up security in the NHS. The move comes as Scotland on Sunday reveals hundreds of cases of breaches concerning patients’ notes. Two lost USB computer memory sticks containing…
Data miners track docs' habits
Matthew Perrone of the Associated Press reports: When most patients go to the pharmacy to fill a new prescription, they don’t think twice about turning over the note from their doctor. After all, how much could the scrawled handwriting on that tiny slip be worth? Not much to the average consumer — but to big…
Prescription tracking creates privacy threat (editorial)
[…] The push for monitoring is coming not just from doctors and public health officials but the attorney general’s office. And it would likely be a useful tool. But it’s easy to imagine a time when lobbyists could convince lawmakers that the drug problem has become severe enough to grant law enforcement agencies unfettered access…
ID theft scheme brings sentence for Oklahoma City woman (follow-up)
Jay F. Marks reports: An Oklahoma City woman was sentenced Friday to more than a year in prison for violating a federal health privacy law in an identity theft scheme. Leslie A. Howell pleaded guilty in May to violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, a federal law meant to protect patients’…
TX: Dentist charged with taping people in restroom
AP reports: A dentist accused of videotaping people using the bathroom at his clinic faces charges of improper photography, authorities said. Byron Weinle was charged Thursday on four counts, accused of secretly videotaping patients and employees. Two women who work at the clinic tipped authorities after finding videotapes inside Weinle’s office, officials said. Read more…