Health Information Management

Web sites storing health data present privacy problems

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, October 15, 2007

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Last week Microsoft unveiled its new HealthVault Web site. Meanwhile, employers such as Wal-mart have started storing health records for employees. America Online has launched Revolution Health. And regional health information organizations are springing up across the states. And privacy advocates are concerned that current U.S. laws, such as HIPAA, in combination with available technology won't be enough to actually keep users' health information confidential, according to an October 5 article by the Associated Press (AP).

For example, HIPAA "gives hospitals, doctors, insurance companies and other related entities access to patients' records without consent for various purposes," according to the article. However, patients need to control their own health information, which is increasingly difficult because of escalating ease of use, storage and exchange of electronic health data, says Sue Blevins, president of DC-based Institute for Health Freedom, according to the AP.

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