Our work with HDIC and the community clinics has shown us that healthcare providers are reluctant to invest in computer systems and software applications that keep track of patient information. Patient privacy, confidentiality and security of such data have often been cited as reasons for not converting records to electronic formats. These are issues of real concern but ones that can be solved with appropriate policies and procedures for utilizing information technology just as there are procedures for paper based systems. Patient, consent, encryption, data security software and coded access can do much to protect confidential information. The National Health Foundation has spent over three years working with a group of dedicated volunteers from health plans, health provider organizations, consumer advocacy groups, employer groups and state and local government entities to develop guidelines for public policy that will protect the privacy rights of individuals and the confidentiality of all forms of health information which is collected, stored, processed or transmitted in electronic form.
Individuals have the right to review and have corrected data about themselves.
Individuals have the right to access the audit trails that pertain to their own health records. To protect confidentiality, a social security number should not be used as the sole unique identifier. Payer, provider and employer proprietary information is confidential and is not to be released without consent. A unique system-generated identifier needs to be established for each patient, provider and payer. Appropriate data protection techniques need to be utilized to prevent the inadvertent release of person-identifiable information.