PHR Privacy?
As summer rolls around so will the general availability of Google Health and Microsoft HealthVualt’s Personal Heath Records (PHR). These major players, plus the offerings from WebMD, Revolution Health, ActiveHealth Management and a dozen other PHR players raises the question of privacy and HIPAA.
These third-party PHR technology vendors are not covered healthcare entities according to HIPAA. Hospital and managed care associated PHRs do fall under the HIPAA privacy and security mandates.
As most readers of this blog know, HIPAA provides strict standards that classify medical information as a privileged communication between a doctor and patient. If the medical records aren't protected by HIPAA, the information could be used for marketing purposes.
In most cases, each health profile, including medical history, prescriptions and allergies, will be password protected. Vendors will likely have their own privacy policies which could match HIPAA laws, however they are just policies and not laws.
Smart PHR vendors will go the extra mile to assure customers that their data is private and secure. This issue should be proactively addressed by PHR vendor PR people.
Posted by Shawn Whalen on March 26, 2008 at 11:44 AM
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Comments
Shawn,
In addition to the major players you mention, many physician practices, hospitals and even employers are making their own flavor of PHRs available to their respective populations. We have been pondering the proliferation of personal health records products ourselves --- so much so that we have made this the subject of the Healthcare Intelligence Network monthly e-survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=2p5AJMXztSvEGPHuqoI3wA_3d_3d
Participants can take the survey and get a free e-summary of the results. We are also wondering about the interoperability and transportability of these PHRs.
Posted by: Patricia Donovan | April 3, 2008 2:40 PM