[Med-privacy] "secondary uses"

[peter marshall]

National Health Committee Calls For Stronger HIPAA Privacy

The National Committee On Vital And Health Statistics has submitted a
draft report to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services on the topic of "secondary uses" of electronically collected
and transmitted health data. In its report, the Committee recommends
extending the applicability of the federal rules that protect the
privacy of individuals' medical records. Specifically, the report
recommends that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996 apply to all users of health data. Currently, HIPAA's coverage
is limited to certain groups, primarily insurers and health care
providers. The committee will receive public comments on the document in
a telephone conference on October 31, 2007 and in written form until
November 6, 2007. The Committee will then consider revisions, and will
deliver final recommendations to Health and Human Services later this
year.

National Committee On Vital And Health Statistics Report to the
Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on
Enhanced Protections for Uses of Health Data: A Stewardship Framework
for "Secondary Uses" of Electronically Collected and Transmitted Health
Data (pdf):

      http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov/071031lt.pdf

National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics Call for Public
Comments:

      http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov/071031fr.htm

EPIC's page on Medical Privacy:

      http://www.epic.org/privacy/medical/

[EPIC]