GAO report reviews advantages, risks of IT in healthcare

Advances in information technology (IT) can improve the quality and other aspects of healthcare, but electronic storage and exchange of personal health information may compromise privacy, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report issued September 17.

 

This report updates a January 2007 GAO report in which the agency recommended that HHS define and implement an overall privacy approach to protect personal health information exchanged via a national health information network.

 

The new report recommends that the HHS secretary direct the national coordinator for health IT to implement a process for assessing and prioritizing stakeholder needs and its many initiatives pertaining to privacy. The goal is to ensure the important privacy principles and challenges are addressed fully and adequately.

 

Click here to read a summary of the GAO report.

Click here to read the full report.

Click here to read highlights of the report.

Click here to read the GAO’s recommendations.