Federal Investigators Warn of Privacy Issues with US NHIN

This NYT article is getting a lot of looks recently.  The GAO is chiding the Bush Administration for pushing for EHR and interoperability without a firm and realistic security plan in place:

The Bush administration has no clear strategy to protect the privacy of patients as it promotes the use of electronic medical records throughout the nation’s health care system, federal investigators say in a new report.

This topic is in the news more and more these days and is clearly on the minds of many.  One interesting point I'd like to see clarified:

Several members of Congress have drafted legislation to clarify consumers’ control over such data. One proposal, by Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas and Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, both Republicans, would establish health data banks in which people could store electronic copies of their medical records. Under the bill, a consumer would “maintain ownership over the entire health record” and could control access to it.

By contrast, under existing federal rules, hospitals and other health care providers generally do not have to obtain a patient’s consent to use or disclose information for “treatment, payment or health care operations.”

There's no mention of the logistics of the Brownback-Ryan proposal.  One wonders if they have any idea how that would work, what strictures it would impose on the healthcare industry, whether it's at all feasible, etc. . . .  For instance, if the "consumer" had control of what was in the "bank" there would still be data at the doctor's office.  Would the bill address the individual locations and how they protect patient data?  Would it be realistic to expect that the patient-controlled record could be used as an accurate, reliable record for doctors to work with?  We've already seen protestations against PHR that allow patients to "edit" their records.

Is this even something that Congress can be trusted to deal with?  Should the market be allowed to work out these issues?  Is it too early to answer any of these questions???  Any ideas?

Comments

[Emr companies list]

i think the best answer to the loop hospitals.

[soccer jerseys]

"Thanks for sharing. This website is to I too

have to help. Very good.
"

[Doctors online]

I think its a great work done.

[Doctors online]

I think its a big threat for the data security.

[Mizuno MP-59 Irons]

Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players (or golfers) use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf

[Scarpe mbt]

Look at this ein paar Leute jung und buchstabieren können,

[mbt schuhe günstig]

Fuß ist sehr wichtig für Sie, mbt schuhe günstig Bucause als Mensch, müssen Sie jeden Tag zu gehen. Eine komfortable Schuh kann reduzieren Sie Gefühl der müde mbt schuhe günstig, dies ist, warum viele Frauen heutzutage seltene tragen High-Heel Shoes außerhalb Karriere christian louboutin schuhe.

[office 2010]

good thank like your "explosive" analogy, I use it in my business as well. Thanks for the great content.

[jj boots]

Louboutin shoes are effortlessly recognizable from a distance as well, since the red leather sole could be the attraction that catches each eye.

[jj boots]

Louboutin shoes are effortlessly recognizable from a distance as well, since the red leather sole could be the attraction that catches each eye.

[lacoste shoes]

A friendship founded on bussiness is better than business founded on friendship. Do you understand?