I am a faithful NPR listener, and this morning I was amazed by a discussion on medical records being available online. YES. Private medical records could be accessed (with the right code or password information) to physicians etc… Now it is one thing to allow physicians and staff of a hospital system to gain access through computer database, but another to have medical records on the internet.
Safety issue? I would say so. My credit card was stolen from a reputable travel website a few years ago, so I have no faith in internet security. Think about how this could be used. Employers seek health history information before hiring. Identity’s are stolen and crooks even acess your medical identity. Is privacy giving way to convenience?
We request records on behalf of clients all the time, but if it means having to send letters, releases, and make many follow up calls – we will gladly make the effort to protect our clients.
Hear the report on NPR about future of Medical Records online, here. So far, I am not sold.