'Good Data Hygiene' Keeps Personal Health Information Safe
A study in the new issue of the <em>Journal of the American Medical Association</em> finds close to a thousand data breaches of health information between 2010 and 2013, affecting more than 29 million patient records. While a nationwide electronic health information system has vast potential to improve care and provide researchers with a rich source of data, implementing one will be difficult if patients fear their personal health information is being compromised.<br /><br />
In an accompanying editorial, Commonwealth Fund President David Blumenthal, M.D., and Deven McGraw of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips offer their views on how health care organizations, clinicians, insurers, and policymakers need to respond to ensure that sound “data hygiene” practices are followed and gaps in current privacy laws are closed.