Trust, Privacy and the American Way

Do you trust your government to keep your secrets? Apparently, the answer is overwhelmingly, “No way!”

   

“Nearly two-thirds of Americans who answered a phone survey last month said they do not trust the federal government–including the U.S. Health and Human Services Agency–to protect their health record privacy. . .A whopping 84% said they were not aware Uncle Sam may launch a national health record database. . .Respondents were more likely to say they trust healthcare providers, such as hospitals, clinics, and physicians, to keep their medical records private. . .Those were two of many findings from a survey released this week by the Ponemon Institute, a Michigan-based research organization that studies privacy, data protection, and information security.”  Cheryl Clark, for HealthLeaders Media, January 27, 2010

 

The Ponemon Institute study brings to light one very important issue that will need attention to close the loop in the effort to bring patient records online. That is the cooperation of the patients themselves. In America, “consent of the governed” is the 800 pound gorilla in the corner.

Privacy breaches happen in the paper-based records world. Lots of healthcare workers have stories of a file left on the desk near prying eyes, or, as has been known to happen, a hallway discussion between two clinicians that should not have been overheard. No system is perfect, and the vast majority of providers are appropriately discreet.

 

Electronic patient records can be made to be secure, but patients have real fears that once the information is available online and accessible, it can be used to discriminate against them at work, discriminate against them for loans, discriminate against them for healthcare coverage, or hurt their reputations personally or professionally.

 

Cases of each of these examples exist, both in the law and anecdotally. It is one hurdle for electronic record systems to be accepted in a clinical setting by the clinicians who must use them, and it is quite another for patients to be comfortable with the concept.

 

More startling, the vast majority of patients queried in the study don’t even know the push is on to put their records online in the next five years.

 

Do you trust your government to keep your secrets? According to this study, the answer is no. Do you trust your healthcare provider to keep your secrets? According to this study, the answer is yes. Now it’s up to the technology and the law to respond to that gap by making sure those clinicians that need patient information get it, and the amorphous “system” doesn’t – either intentionally or unintentionally - make available patient-identifiable information to those who don’t need it to treat the patient.

 

Comments

[ehr software]

At first, you may think that it's not that secured. In fact, there are many secured features of a reliable hosting site. It is really expensive but come to think of it, you cannot store your records in a bunch of papers for a long period of time.

-nj

[Acai Optimum]

very informational... educative as well, i've been a very good follower of your blog... all am gonna say is good job!