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…
Category: Healthcare
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…
Porn Stars Panicked by California Health Record Subpoenas
I’ve been following privacy news developments in the adult entertainment industry for year (see earlier coverage on PHIprivacy.net), because frankly, I don’t understand some of the political stuff that has gone on and why porn stars should have less medical privacy with respect than other workers. Surely STDs aren’t the only communicable diseases, so why…