Patient Privacy Rights

Image Source Patient Privacy Rights' Website
Article from EPIC NEWS

On October 26th, EPIC joined with Patient Privacy Rights in an effort to establish stronger protections in the United States for patients' medical information.

"2005 is the year that the American public learned that massive security breaches of personal information have made identity theft the number one crime in America. We must not allow the most sensitive personal records that exist, our medical records, to go online without adequate privacy safeguards," said EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg.

Congress is rushing to pass legislation to establish a national Health Information Network without patient privacy protections. Yet recent surveys show that Americans consider the privacy of medical records to be a major concern. A Harris poll this past February found that 69 percent of adults do not believe strong enough data security will be installed in the system. An earlier Gallup survey found that 78 percent of the American public feel it is very important that their medical records be kept confidential. And the Markle Foundation found that more than three out of four respondents (79%) supported the right for a patient to control who can access his health information.

"No one should be able to see or use your medical records without your permission," said Dr. Deborah Peel, founder and chairman of the Patient Privacy Rights Foundation. "Americans must have confidence in the privacy and security of their online medical records."

As part of the effort to protect patients' privacy rights, the two groups are circulating an online petition calling for strong medical privacy safeguards.

The petition states simply:

-- I want to decide who can see and use my medical records

-- I do not want my medical records or those of my family's to be seen or used by my employer

-- I should never be forced to give up my right to privacy in order to get medical treatment.

Patient Privacy Rights is an Austin, Texas-based national consumer organization devoted to medical privacy.

"I Want My Medical Privacy!" petition:
http://www.patientprivacyrights.org/petition

Patient Privacy Rights site:
http://patientprivacyrights.org