From a newly released GAO report: Representatives from the 18 nonfederal initiatives GAO reviewed described a variety of efforts they are undertaking to achieve or facilitate electronic health record (EHR) interoperability, but most of these initiatives remain works in progress. EHR interoperability is the ability of systems to exchange electronic health information with other systems…
Category: Healthcare
Only You, Your Doctor, and Many Others May Know
Re-identification is just too damned easy sometimes – and if your state is selling your “de-identified” health information, don’t be reassured – be worried. Here’s the abstract of a study by Latanya Sweeney: Alice goes to the hospital in the United States. Her doctor and health insurance company know the details ― and often, so…
State board proposes discipline for University of Oregon psychologist over record release in rape case
AP reports: A state licensing board is proposing a $5,000 fine, a reprimand and ethics training for the head of the University of Oregon’s counseling office. The proposed discipline, announced Friday, stems from allegations that Shelly Kerr released a student’s counseling records to the UO’s lawyers without the student’s permission. The student sought counseling after…
Fitbit Agrees to Sign Business Associate Agreements and Take on HIPAA Compliance
Eric Thieme of Faegre Baker Daniels writes: Is your Fitbit data covered by HIPAA? It depends upon where you got it (kind of). If you go to the store and pick up a Fitbit on your own, the data it generates is governed by the user agreement that you click through (which I’m sure everyone read…