David Blumenthal Emphasizes Privacy and Security in HITECH Act

Posted February 6, 2010 09:13 AM by Jack Anderson CEO Compliance Helper    

As healthcare ponders "meaningful use" they need to also remember "willful neglect".  David Blumenthal's article in the New England Journal of Medicine provides an important reminder that privacy and security are key elements ot the ARRA Stimulus Bill and the HITECH Act.

"Health information exchange, however, will never reach its potential unless patients and providers are confident that patients' data are private and secure — both when stored in EHRs or other repositories and when flowing through the health care system. The HITECH Act greatly strengthened existing privacy protections under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. In addition, the ONC has asked one of its advisory committees to study additional measures for increasing the privacy and security of health information without compromising its availability for such critical purposes as patient care and research."Launching HITECH,David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P, NEJM, Volume 362:382-385 February 4, 2010 Number 5
 

As you make plans for EHR keep in mind that you must be in compliance with the HITECH Act and HIPAA or risk penalties much higher than the potential stimulus funds you will receive.