Consumers Union and the Center for Democracy & Technology have issued a policy brief outlining ways to strengthen data privacy and security while supporting health information exchange, Health Data Management reports.
The report was funded by the California HealthCare Foundation, which publishes iHealthBeat.
Details of Brief
In the brief, the authors recommended that policymakers address gaps in the protection of health data by:
- Clarifying how entities are to comply with health privacy laws;
- Ensuring that standards for de-identifying health data remain strong and establishing penalties for unauthorized or inappropriate de-identification;
- Holding all business entities that access, use or disclose protected health information accountable under law;
- Prioritizing data sharing models that favor local control and decentralization;
- Reassessing legal protections -- including HIPAA rules -- that govern electronic health data;
- Strengthening accountability for compliance with state and federal laws; and
- Strengthening rules on the use of personal health information for marketing purposes.
The brief also outlines principles for maximizing the exchange of health information while securing data (Goedert, Health Data Management, 6/13).