IT Privacy Advisors Send Security Recommendations

An article at Information Week indicates that providers should comply with fair information practices when exchanging patients’ personal health data, based on recommendations from a workgroup advising the federally charted Health IT Policy Group. Last week  the workgroup sent a letter to national health IT coordinator David Blumenthal, issuing preliminary recommendations on how to ensure privacy and security when doctors and hospitals exchange patient information to fulfill the first stage of meaningful-use requirements for electronic records.

The team noted more work is necessary regarding areas like remedies for violations, for example. They also recommended adopting guidelines set out in the Fair Information Practices, a code established in 1973. "This overarching set of principles, when taken together, constitute good data stewardship and form a foundation of public trust in the collection, access, use, and disclosure of personal information," the team’s letter said.

According to Information Week, the principles cover individuals’ rights to obtain and correct personal information and consent to the exchange of identifiable information; openness and transparency about policies and procedures; and protections against inappropriate use and disclosure, among other elements of privacy and security.

Check out the Health Data Management article or search HHS’ Health IT site to read these and other recommendations. 

What do you think of these security recommendations?