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Health See other Health Articles Title: Electronic Health Records Raise Privacy and Security Concerns According to two new studies published Wednesday by the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), U.S. physicians and hospitals are rapidly increasing the use of electronic health records (EHRs). The two studies found that in 2013: Nearly 78 percent of office-based physicians acknowledged they had implemented some form of EHR system. About half of all physicians had an EHR system with advanced functionalities, nearly double the rate of four years before. About 59 percent of hospitals had an EHR system with advanced functionalities, nearly quadruple the rate of two years before. The HHS claims that patients are beginning to see benefits in the use of electronic health records. More from the agency: "These data provide an early baseline understanding of provider readiness to achieve Stage 2 Meaningful Use of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive programs. Stage 2 will begin later this year for providers who first attested to Stage 1 Meaningful Use in 2011 or 2012. About 75 percent of eligible professionals and more than 91 percent of hospitals have adopted or demonstrated Stage 1 Meaningful Use of certified EHRs. The studies also show that more work is needed to support widespread health information exchange and providers’ ability to achieve Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs." Throughout this year, the HHS is bolstering its efforts to steer providers further in this direction — specifically, to move toward an “interoperable health system that enables nationwide health information exchange.” These efforts include on-the-ground support to over 150,000 healthcare providers that serve virtually any type of patient. Electronic Health Records Pose Privacy and Security Risks There are many drawbacks to electronic health records, one being privacy concerns, which have already proved vulnerable. Lest we forget, we’re living in an age where cyber trolls are crawling all over the web, waiting to capitalize on digital leaks. Kaiser Health News, for example, reported back in June 2012 that keeping records secure is a challenge that federal regulators have yet to grab a hold of. Kaiser reported that over a 17-month period a medical technician at Howard University Hospital used her position to sell the names, addresses, and Medicare numbers of numerous patients. Only weeks later, the hospital had to notify some 34,000 patients to let them know that their records — including social security numbers — had been compromised, thanks to a contractor working for the hospital who had downloaded patient files onto his personal computer. Instead of concentrating on the quality of care, physicians are facing exhausting regulatory battles and unwarranted Big Brother interventions on the practice of medicine. Not to mention, Americans might be startled to know their personal health information could be shared electronically with, perhaps, millions of people — including everything from mental illnesses, lawsuits against physicians, patient non-compliance, and, yes, even their sexual misfortunes. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
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