[Med-privacy] House Turns A Deaf Ear To Appeals for Patient Privacy
dpeelmd@aol.com
dpeelmd@aol.com
Thu, 27 Jul 2006 00:04:33 -0400
----------MailBlocks_8C87F48E7112101_834_3368_mblk-d51.sysops.aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
patientprivacyrights
=20
For Immediate Release July 26, 2006
Contact: Deborah C. Peel, MD (512) 732-0033
dpeelmd@patientprivacyrights.org
=20
=20
House Turns A Deaf Ear To Appeals for Patient Privacy=20
in Health Information Technology Bill
Electronic Medical Records Become =E2=80=9CSoft Targets=E2=80=9D=20
=20
Austin, Texas =E2=80=93 Patient Privacy Rights, a national consumer privacy=20=
watchdog organization stated today that the U.S. House of Representatives ha=
s made Americans=E2=80=99 medical records a =E2=80=9Csoft target=E2=80=9D fo=
r misuse and theft by not allowing privacy language in the legislation.=20
=20
=E2=80=9CWithout basic privacy protections built into the legislation up fro=
nt, Congress will create an electronic superhighway system for others to mis=
use, datamine, and steal the nation=E2=80=99s medical records,=E2=80=9D Peel=
said.
Patient Privacy Rights and the Coalition for Patient Privacy has repeatedly=20=
urged Congress to include specific patient privacy protections in health inf=
ormation technology (HIT) legislation.=20
=E2=80=9CWe are puzzled why the House will not allow language that will guar=
antee patient privacy in the Health Information Technology Promotion Act of=20=
2006, H.R. 4157,=E2=80=9D said Deborah Peel, MD, Chairman of Patient Privacy=
Rights Foundation. =E2=80=9CMaintaining the status quo equals zero patient=20=
privacy.=E2=80=9D
Patient Privacy Rights has been urging Congress to add specific privacy lang=
uage to upcoming HIT legislation because HIPAA regulations currently do not=20=
adequately protect electronic medical records and because current HIPAA enfo=
rcement has netted only two violators and resulted in no fines since the new=
regulations became effective in 2002.
=20
In the several letters to the Congress, Patient Privacy Rights and the Coali=
tion for Patient urged Congress to include the following provisions in HIT l=
egislation:
=20
=C2=B7 Expressly recognize the individual=E2=80=99s right to medical=
privacy
=C2=B7 Give patients control over who can see & use their electronic=
medical records
=C2=B7 Allow patients to opt-in, opt-out
=C2=B7 Give patients the right to segment sensitive information
=C2=B7 Provide protections including audit trails, breach notificati=
on, and meaningful penalties for privacy violations
=20
=20
About Patient Privacy Rights
Patient Privacy Rights is a national consumer watchdog organization based in=
Austin, TX. The mission of Patient Privacy Rights is to empower Americans=20=
to protect and preserve their human rights to medical privacy. Patient Priv=
acy Rights believes Americans should have the right to decide who can see an=
d use their medical records and is educating Americans about threats to pati=
ent privacy. They have launched an online petition for Americans to tell Con=
gress =E2=80=9CI Want My Medical Privacy=E2=80=9D.
Web site: www.patientprivacyrights.org=20
Sign the =E2=80=9CI Want My Medical Privacy=E2=80=9D Petition: www.patientp=
rivacyrights.org/petition
=20
To view previous letters to Congress from the Coalition for Patient Privacy:
www.patientprivacyrights.org/privacycoalition
________________________________________________________________________
Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM=
. All on demand. Always Free.
----------MailBlocks_8C87F48E7112101_834_3368_mblk-d51.sysops.aol.com
Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<HTML><BODY>
<div id=3DAOLMsgPart_2_e0948a09-727a-4db1-9ec0-6be7869b3c71>
<div>
<div class=3DSection1>
<div class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=3Dcenter><FONT fac=
e=3DArial color=3D#3399ff size=3D7><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 36pt; COLOR: #3=
399ff">patient</SPAN></FONT><FONT color=3D#000099 size=3D7><SPAN style=3D"FO=
NT-SIZE: 36pt; COLOR: #000099">privacy</SPAN></FONT><FONT color=3D#9900ff si=
ze=3D7><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 36pt; COLOR: #9900ff">rights</SPAN></FONT><=
FONT size=3D7><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 36pt"><?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX =3D O /=
><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<H1 style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=3Dcenter><B><FONT face=3DArial color=
=3D#3366ff size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #3366ff; FONT-FAM=
ILY: Arial"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></B></H1>
<div><FONT face=3DArial size=3D1><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY:=
Arial">For Immediate Release July 26, 2006<br>
Contact: Deborah C. Peel, MD (512) 732-0033<br>
<A title=3Dmailto:dpeelmd@patientprivacyrights.org href=3D"javascript:parent=
.ComposeTo('dpeelmd@patientprivacyrights.org');">dpeelmd@patientprivacyright=
s.org</A></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div><FONT face=3DArial size=3D1><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY:=
Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT> </div>
<div> </div>
<div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=3Dcenter><B><FONT face=3DArial size=
=3D4><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">=
House Turns A Deaf Ear To Appeals for Patient Privacy <br>
in Health Information Technology Bill</SPAN></FONT></B><B><FONT face=3DArial=
><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><br>
<br>
Electronic Medical Records Become =E2=80=9CSoft Targets=E2=80=9D </SPAN></FO=
NT></B></div>
<div style=3D"TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=3Dcenter><B><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN=
style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT></B><STRONG><=
B><FONT face=3DVerdana><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verd=
ana"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG> </div>
<div><?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX =3D ST1 /><ST1:PLACE w:st=3D"on"><ST1:CITY w:st=
=3D"on"><STRONG><B><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10p=
t; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Austin</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG></ST1:CITY><STRONG><=
B><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, <ST1:STATE w:st=
=3D"on">Texas</ST1:STATE></SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG></ST1:PLACE><STRONG><B><=
FONT face=3DArial><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> =E2=80=93 </SPAN></FON=
T></B></STRONG><STRONG><B><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: nor=
mal; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Patient Privacy Rights, a national consumer privacy=
watchdog organization stated today that the U.S. House of Representatives h=
as made Americans=E2=80=99 medical records a =E2=80=9Csoft target=E2=80=9D f=
or misuse and theft by not allowing privacy language in the legislation. </S=
PAN></FONT></B></STRONG></div>
<div><STRONG><B><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-=
FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG> </div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE:=
10pt">=E2=80=9CWithout basic privacy protections built into the legislation=
up front, Congress will create an electronic superhighway system for others=
to misuse, <SPAN class=3Dcorrection id=3D"">datamine</SPAN>, and steal the=20=
nation=E2=80=99s medical records,=E2=80=9D Peel said.<STRONG><B><FONT face=
=3DArial><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P></O:P>=
</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div><STRONG><B><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: norm=
al; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Patient Privacy Rights and the Coal=
ition for Patient Privacy has repeatedly urged Congress to include specific=20=
patient privacy protections in health information technology (HIT) legislati=
on. </SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG><FONT face=3DArial><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY=
: Arial"><br>
<br>
=E2=80=9CWe are puzzled why the House will not allow language that will guar=
antee patient privacy in the Health Information Technology Promotion Act of=20=
2006, H.R. 4157,=E2=80=9D said Deborah Peel, MD, Chairman of Patient Privacy=
Rights Foundation. =E2=80=9CMaintaining the status quo equals zero patient<=
B><I><SPAN style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic"> </SPAN></I></B>p=
rivacy.=E2=80=9D<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE:=
10pt">Patient Privacy Rights has been urging Congress to add specific priva=
cy language to upcoming HIT legislation because <SPAN class=3Dcorrection id=
=3D"">HIPAA</SPAN> regulations currently do not adequately protect electroni=
c medical records and because current <SPAN class=3Dcorrection id=3D"">HIPAA=
</SPAN> enforcement has netted only two violators and resulted in no fines s=
ince the new regulations became effective in 2002.<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT><=
/div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE:=
10pt"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE:=
10pt">In the several letters to the Congress, Patient Privacy Rights and th=
e Coalition for Patient urged Congress to include the following provisions i=
n HIT legislation:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE:=
10pt"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; m=
so-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><FONT face=3DSymbol size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SI=
ZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style=3D"mso-list: Ignore">=C2=B7<FONT=20=
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D1><SPAN style=3D"FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'=
"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SP=
AN></FONT><FONT size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Expressly recognize=
the individual=E2=80=99s right to medical privacy<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT><=
/div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; m=
so-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><FONT face=3DSymbol size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SI=
ZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style=3D"mso-list: Ignore">=C2=B7<FONT=20=
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D1><SPAN style=3D"FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'=
"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SP=
AN></FONT><FONT size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Give patients contr=
ol over who can see & use their electronic medical records<O:P></O:P></S=
PAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; m=
so-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><FONT face=3DSymbol size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SI=
ZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style=3D"mso-list: Ignore">=C2=B7<FONT=20=
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D1><SPAN style=3D"FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'=
"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SP=
AN></FONT><FONT size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Allow patients to o=
pt-in, opt-out<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; m=
so-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><FONT face=3DSymbol size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SI=
ZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style=3D"mso-list: Ignore">=C2=B7<FONT=20=
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D1><SPAN style=3D"FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'=
"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SP=
AN></FONT><FONT size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Give patients the r=
ight to segment sensitive information<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; m=
so-list: l0 level1 lfo2"><FONT face=3DSymbol size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SI=
ZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol"><SPAN style=3D"mso-list: Ignore">=C2=B7<FONT=20=
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D1><SPAN style=3D"FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'=
"> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SP=
AN></FONT><FONT size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Provide protections=
including audit trails, breach notification, and meaningful penalties for p=
rivacy violations<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><STRONG><B><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3><SPAN style=
=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></B>=
</STRONG></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><STRONG><B><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=
=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></B>=
</STRONG></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><STRONG><B><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=
=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">About Patient Privacy Rights</SPAN>=
</FONT></B></STRONG><FONT size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><br>
Patient Privacy Rights is a national consumer watchdog organization based in=
<ST1:PLACE w:st=3D"on"><ST1:CITY w:st=3D"on">Austin</ST1:CITY>, <ST1:STATE=20=
w:st=3D"on">TX</ST1:STATE></ST1:PLACE>. The mission of Patient Privacy=
Rights is to empower Americans to protect and preserve their human rights t=
o medical privacy. Patient Privacy Rights believes Americans should ha=
ve the right to decide who can see and use their medical records and is educ=
ating Americans about threats to patient privacy. They have launched an onli=
ne petition for Americans to tell Congress =E2=80=9CI Want My Medical Privac=
y=E2=80=9D.<br>
<br>
Web site: <A title=3Dhttp://www.patientprivacyrights.org/ href=3D"http=
://www.patientprivacyrights.org/" target=3D_blank><SPAN class=3Dcorrection i=
d=3D"">www</SPAN>.patientprivacyrights.org</A> <br>
<br>
Sign the =E2=80=9CI Want My Medical Privacy=E2=80=9D Petition: <A titl=
e=3Dhttp://www.patientprivacyrights.org/petition href=3D"http://www.patientp=
rivacyrights.org/petition" target=3D_blank><SPAN class=3Dcorrection id=3D"">=
www</SPAN>.patientprivacyrights.org/petition</A></SPAN></FONT><O:P></O:P></d=
iv>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE:=
10pt"><O:P> </O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE:=
10pt">To view previous letters to Congress from the Coalition for Patient P=
rivacy:<O:P></O:P></SPAN></FONT></div>
<div class=3DMsoNormal><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE:=
10pt"><A title=3Dhttp://www.patientprivacyrights.org/privacycoalition href=
=3D"http://www.patientprivacyrights.org/privacycoalition" target=3D_blank><S=
PAN class=3Dcorrection id=3D"">www</SPAN>.patientprivacyrights.org/<SPAN cla=
ss=3Dcorrection id=3D"">privacycoalition</SPAN></A></SPAN></FONT></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- end of AOLMsgPart_2_e0948a09-727a-4db1-9ec0-6be7869b3c71 -->
<div class=3D"AOLPromoFooter">
<hr style=3D"margin-top:10px;" />
<a href=3D"http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/1615326657x4311227241x4298082137/ao=
l?redir=3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaol%2Ecom" target=3D"_blank"><b>Check out AOL.c=
om today</b></a>. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All o=
n demand. Always Free.<br />
</div>
</BODY></HTML>
----------MailBlocks_8C87F48E7112101_834_3368_mblk-d51.sysops.aol.com--