Thursday, December 31, 2009

The got it wrong... AGAIN!

See article: 'Meaningful Use' criteria released

Can you believe it? Doctors and hospitals that purchase electronic health records (EHRs) 'wired' for 'back-door' data mining will be paid to steal and use our sensitive health records without our permission!

The government and the massive health data mining industry won. Industry and the government’s plan to continue illegal and unethical data mining trumped Americans’ rights to health privacy.

The rules guarantee that employers, insurers, banks, and government will be able to use our sensitive health information---from prescriptions to DNA--- to discriminate against us in jobs, credit, and insurance.

Instead, the new interim rules for EHRs should reward the purchase and use of 'smart' EHRs with consent technologies so patients control who can see and use their health records.

The stimulus billions will be wasted because doctors and hospitals will be rewarded for using obsolete, unethical EHR 'clunkers'. Like the UK, the US will be forced to spend billions to correct a disastrously flawed national electronic health system that prevents patients from controlling their health records.

To understand the "meaningful use" criteria that SHOULD be required in EHRs, see the comments submitted to the Administration by the bipartisan Coalition for Patient Privacy, representing millions of Americans: http://www.patientprivacyrights.org/site/DocServer/LCoalition_to_HIT_PC_Meaningful_Use.pdf?docID=5681

When will the Administration and corporations get it? Privacy protections have to be tough and comprehensive if we want a national HIT system that consumers will trust and use.

To act, join www.patientprivacyrights.org to get e-alerts. Stop corporations and the government from using your sensitive health information for uses you would never agree to.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Facebook setting the standards for Health Care?

No laws forced Facebook to add more consumer control to who sees what --- the public did. See story: Facebook privacy revisions 'sign post' for healthcare

This is EXACTLY what will happen to the health care system when Americans find out they have NO CONTROL over over who sees, uses, and snoops in their electronic health information.

Patient Privacy Rights' job is to make sure they learn as fast as possible.

Sign up at www.patientprivacyrights.org for our e-alerts so you can help!