The New York Times
October 5, 2011
To the editor:
Re “Patient Data Landed Online After a Series of Missteps” -
I was surprised to read “breaches of private medical data have become distressingly commonplace.”
As a pre-medical student, I worry that public malaise about the implementation of electronic medical records (EMR) could imperil my ability to provide the best health outcomes. Along with decreasing operating costs and material waste, EMRs show full patient history, facilitate physician collaboration, enhance precision, and allow for study among other benefits.
The invidious incidents of Stanford Hospital and the 330 similar cases could sway the masses from taking advantage of what EMR provides. It seems private lawsuit liability is statistically not costly enough for providers to invest in proper management and security of patient records.
In resolution, there should be severe pre-determined fines on those that have leaked private medical information. Further, under its powers to enforce HIPPA, the Department of Health and Human Services should review and ensure the security of these networks.
Chris Ackman
I agree with the severity of HIPPA violations as they also mar the sanctity of the patient-provider relationship. EMR is integral to keeping up with the pace of our ever-growing population and information flow.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I also believe that education for providers goes a long way in remediating privacy leaks. Some providers I know unintentionally violate HIPPA because they are not sufficiently informed on what constitutes the leakage of EMR information (even if blatantly obvious to most) and the gravity of its consequences. With technology rapidly developing, new avenues for breaching confidentiality may remain unbeknownst to the provider. Therefore, I strongly suggest small semi-annual sessions for IT, HIPPA experts, and providers to touch base on EMR and other tech developments. When considering cost savings from massive enforcement efforts and legal battles, prevention through proper pedagogy probably provides the prime protection from privacy perversities.