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GOS Take Away Comments:
I don't think your class really understands the privacy issues as well as I would like/hope. We'll find a way to revisit the issues and questions before you graduate.
Technology can actually provide MUCH better security for sensitive and confidential information than traditional records/methods. But our history and culture in healthcare has refused to adopt technology that limits our free and easy access to patient data. Privacy is a people and policy issue - more than it is a technology one (IMHO)
HIPAA was a step in the right direction but does NOT improve protection of patient privacy and has perhaps made it worse in some cases because the DOJ is not enforcing it!
Privacy and security of patient health records has always been an important mandate for health care providers and has become especially more difficult in the information/electronic age. It is important to remember that patient privacy issues have existed for a long time, and preceded the use of computers in health care (we still have privacy issues with paper charts as well). But whether on paper or electronic, the main source of privacy breach remains with those who have legitmate access that they misuse or abuse. A text/printable version of a lecture Dr. G gave for a high-level overview to a previous class is linked here, and she is working on the audio portion. You'll note some of the later slides are corrupted so it will take tools that are ni NC and she is still traveling. So check back in a few days to see if the audio/Web version is available.
The federal government poured more than $17 million into a contract that analyzed privacy and security regulations in many states to evaluate the "state of the union", more or less. The contract went to RTI, and you can find links to several reports and plans on their web site.
More detail for each of these important privacy, security, and consumerism topics is provided at a link below:
Privacy Standards and Issues