By DEBORAH C. PEEL

I learned about the lack of health privacy when I hung out my shingle as a psychiatrist. Patients asked if I could keep their records private if they paid for care themselves. They had lost jobs or reputations because what they said in the doctor’s office didn’t always stay in the doctor’s office. That was 35 years ago, in the age of paper. In today’s digital world the problem has only grown worse.

A patient’s sensitive information should not be shared without his consent. But this is not the case now, as the country moves toward a system of electronic medical records.

In 2002, under President George W. Bush, the right of a patient to control his most sensitive personal data—from prescriptions to DNA—was eliminated by federal regulators implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Those privacy notices you sign in doctors’ offices do not actually give you any control over your personal data; they merely describe how the data will be used and disclosed.

In a January 2009 speech, President Barack Obama said that his administration wants every American to have an electronic health record by 2014, and last year’s stimulus bill allocated over $36 billion to build electronic record systems. Meanwhile, the Senate health-care bill just approved by the House of Representatives on Sunday requires certain kinds of research and reporting to be done using electronic health records. Electronic records, Mr. Obama said in his 2009 speech, “will cut waste, eliminate red tape and reduce the need to repeat expensive medical tests [and] save lives by reducing the deadly but preventable medical errors that pervade our health-care system.”

But electronic medical records won’t accomplish any of these goals if patients fear sharing information with doctors because they know it isn’t private. When patients realize they can’t control who sees their electronic health records, they will be far less likely to tell their doctors about drinking problems, feelings of depression, sexual problems, or exposure to sexually transmitted diseases. In 2005, a California Healthcare Foundation poll found that one in eight Americans avoided seeing a regular doctor, asked a doctor to alter a diagnosis, paid privately for a test, or avoided tests altogether due to privacy concerns.

Today our lab test results are disclosed to insurance companies before we even know the results. Prescriptions are data-mined by pharmacies, pharmaceutical technology vendors, hospitals and are sold to insurers, drug companies, employers and others willing to pay for the information to use in making decisions about you, your job or your treatments, or for research. Self-insured employers can access employees’ entire health records, including medications. And in the past five years, according to the nonprofit Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, more than 45 million electronic health records were either lost, stolen by insiders (hospital or government-agency employees, health IT vendors, etc.), or hacked from outside.

Electronic record systems that don’t put patients in control of data or have inadequate security create huge opportunities for the theft, misuse and sale of personal health information. The public is aware of these problems. A 2009 poll conducted for National Public Radio, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health asked if people were confident their medical records would remain confidential if they were stored electronically and could be shared online. Fifty nine percent responded they were not confident.

The privacy of an electronic health record cannot be restored once the contents are sold or otherwise disclosed. Every person and family is only one expensive diagnosis, one prescription, or one lab test away from generations of discrimination.

The solution is to insist upon technologies that protect a patient’s right to consent to share any personal data. A step in this direction is to demand that no federal stimulus dollars be used to develop electronic systems that do not have these technologies.

Some argue that consent and privacy controls are impractical or prohibitively costly. But consent is ubiquitous in health care. Ask any physician if she would operate on a patient without informed consent.

There is no need to choose between the benefits of technology and our rights to health privacy. Technologies already exist that enable each person to choose what information he is willing to share and what must remain private. Consent must be built into electronic systems up front so we can each choose the levels of privacy and sharing we prefer.

My organization, Patient Privacy Rights, is starting a “Do Not Disclose” petition so Americans can inform Congress and the president they want to control who can see and use their medical records. We believe Congress should pass a law to build an online registry where individuals can express their preferences for sharing their health information or keeping it private. Such a registry, plus safety technologies for online records, will mean Americans can trust electronic health systems.

Privacy has been essential to the ethical practice of medicine since the time of Hippocrates in fifth century B.C. The success of health-care reform and electronic record systems requires the same foundation of informed consent patients have always had with paper records systems. But if we squander billions on a health-care system no one trusts, millions will seek treatment outside the system or not at all. The resulting data, filled with errors and omissions, will be worth less than the paper it isn’t written on.

Dr. Peel, a psychiatrist in private practice, is the founder of Patient Privacy Rights (www. patientprivacyrights.org) and leads the bipartisan Coalition for Patient Privacy.

Source http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703580904575132111888664060.html

There’s a new TV advertisement from GE out in the last couple of weeks that demonstrates very well the value of electronic medical records (EMRs).  If you haven’t seen it already, have a look:

The 911 Family of Products, the 911 Medical ID Card and Medallion, have a goal of working with the new electronic medical records systems mandated by the United States government and other governments around the world. Being able to use your 911 Medical ID to download your records and have them on your person at all times – not just in your doctor’s office or via the Internet – is a valuable bonus to the benefits of the EMRs that are demonstrated in the above commercial.

A new report from healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information says that while many of the heavy hitters in software are involved in the electronic medical records (EMR) market, there is currently no clear leader.  Despite products from such companies as IBM, 3M, Dell, and even Wal-Mart, no one company is ahead of the pack.

“No one has closed the deal yet for physician mindshare, at least not yet,” said Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information. “And that is good news for companies that are considering entering the system with a product that has enhanced functionality.”

Kalorama’s study of the EMR market was conducted in the year since the U.S. government announced incentives for physicians who implement and use EMR in their practices.  According to the report, the EMR market is estimated at $13.8 billion in 2009. However, Kalorama estimates that at least seventy percent of that market represents sales to hospitals and health systems. Because of the scale of operation, capital and support needed to service hospitals, large IT companies such as McKesson, Cerner, Eclypsis and MediTech, who were doing business with these customers prior to the EMR incentives, have a fairly strong hold on that segment.

Click this link to read Kalorama’s report:
EMR 2010 (Market Analysis, ARRA Incentives, Key Players, and Important Trends)

There’s a great post today on the Bradford Scott Medical Blog.  Bradford Scott is an IT firm specializing in medical office products and support.  They posted a rundown of what doctor’s offices need to be ready for the switchover to electronic medical records (EMRs), and to qualify for stimulus money designed to help in the switchover.  If you’re in charge of a doctor’s office that hasn’t made the switch, or if you’re wondering why your doctor is still using paper … take a look:

Is your practice ready for Electronic Medical Records and meaningful use?

We’re very excited to announce that the 911 Medical ID Card has been reviewed by CrunchGear!  CrunchGear is a blog covering gadgets, gear and computer hardware. It is a part of the TechCrunch Network.

Here’s some of what CrunchGear had to say about the portable personal health record wallet card:

The 911 Medical ID Card represents an affordable way to collect all of your medical information in once place. The online backup function is a huge plus and the ability to add extra family members and files are added bonuses as well.

Read the entire review here!

More reviews are expected in the coming weeks.  We’ll be sure to post about them right here when they’re published!

The following release was issued on January 22, 2010:

Maker of Revolutionary USB Portable Personal Health Record Card Introduces New 911 Medical ID Medallion
911 Medical ID Card & Medallion Help Users Easily Create a Portable Personal Health Record (PHR)

(Louisville, KY) – Just months after introducing the 911 Medical ID™ USB portable personal health record (PHR) wallet card, its maker, MEMI Tech, is launching another revolutionary product. The new 911 Medical ID Medallion™ is designed to be worn around the neck, and includes the same features and functions as the wallet card. The medallion is perfect for use by the elderly, disabled and children.

“It is the thinnest, smallest and lightest portable personal health record USB device ever made, and it offers exactly the same patented and proprietary software and functions as the popular 911 Medical ID Card.,” says MEMI Tech CEO Mark Weiss. “The medallion is designed for those who don’t carry a wallet but need the protection of having their important medical and personal information with them at all times.”

The 911 Medical ID Card, is designed to be carried in a wallet like a credit card, while the new 911 Medical ID Medallion, which weighs less than a quarter-ounce and is the size of a military dog tag, can be worn around the neck on a chain or on the included lanyard. Regardless if you have the card or the medallion, the technology is designed to empower the user to take personal responsibility and control of their health information by creating an electronic portable, personal health record.

“In the event of an emergency, healthcare providers will have instant access to all your vital medical information, said Dr. Guy Lerner, MEMI Tech’s medical adviser. “Your medical conditions, medications, allergies, living will, medical tests and much more are all right there on the card or medallion. Having them easily available avoids delays in treatment and costly mistakes. The only way to assure that your healthcare providers have the best chance to help you is to always carry your own up-to-date comprehensive portable personal health record with you in an easily findable and readable format”.

When plugged into the USB port on any Windows-based computer, the 911 Medical ID Card and Medallion automatically launch software that walks the user through the steps to enter their information. The devices each have a two gigabyte storage capacity, and allow the owner to safely store private documents in the secure password-protected area of the card. Each also has the capability of storing medical records of ten family members. All of the information is easily backed up onto a password-protected HIPAA compliant, private secure server location that can be accessed from any computer with access to the Internet.

“Because it fits on a lanyard or chain around your neck, the new 911 Medical ID Medallion is easy to find in an emergency, said Weiss. “It is the perfect option for seniors, people with disabilities and other special needs, children with serious conditions or allergies, and anyone else who needs their medical information to be available at a moment’s notice. Owning and using this product could literally save your life.”

For more information on the 911 Family of Products, please visit http://www.911familyofproducts.com. Information can also be found at the 911 Family Facebook Page, or on @911medicalid on Twitter.

About MEMI Tech
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, MEMI Tech, LLC is the developer of the world’s thinnest patent-protected USB health information storage device, the 911 Medical ID™ Card, as well as the world’s thinnest, smallest, and lightest health information storage device, the 911 Medical ID Medallion™. These unique portable devices are designed to hold personal medical information to be used in the case of emergency or when visiting a healthcare provider, and to allow the user to easily create and carry their portable personal health record (PPHR). For more information on MEMI Tech and the 911 Family of Products, please visit http://www.911familyofproducts.com.

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A new study by PriceWaterHouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute shows employers are taking a critical look at the services offered by their insurers, and they’re not satisfied with what they’re seeing.  One of the most interesting findings is the interest in technology, including personal health records (PHRs):

Interest in personal technology tools such as personal health records and online comparison tools is surging. Nearly half of all employers say it is important for insurers to offer these tools, but less than half are satisfied with what they are getting.

We’re pleased to see the public getting on board with the idea of taking control of their personal health information.  We, of course, believe that to be truly useful a PHR needs to be not only easy to use, but also portable.  Being able to use a PHR in a doctor’s office is key, but being able to use it in the event of an emergency is critical.

Read the full news release about the PriceWaterhouseCooper study here.

According to preliminary estimates from a U.S. government report, the use of electronic medical records (EMR) in doctor’s offices is indeed increasing.  According to a story on TMCnet, the report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows four out of every ten office or clinic based physicians is now using EMRs…

43.9 percent of physicians reported using full or partial EMR/EHR systems – not including systems used solely for billing – in office-based practices. About 20.5 percent reported having systems that meet the criteria of a basic system, and 6.3 percent reported using a fully functional system.

The survey indicates that from 2007-2008, physicians use of any EMR system increased by 18.7 percent and the percentage of physicians reporting having systems that meet the criteria of a basic system increased by 41.5 percent. Researchers conclude that the 2009 preliminary estimates did not change significantly from 2008.

Follow this link to read the full story.

A new article puts the blame for the slow pace of electronic medical records adoption squarely on the patient.  The article, published on MSNBC and filed from last week’s 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, says the culprit in the delay of digitizing the U.S. healthcare system is lack of demand from the public.  Comments on the subject came from experts attending CES to view the latest healthcare gadgets.

Doctors and medical technology executives said Saturday that the biggest hurdle to computerizing health care isn’t tradition or Luddism or bureaucracy — it’s the reluctance of consumers to sign on. Without consumer demand, manufacturers and administrators can’t justify the upfront cost of digitizing patients’ cases and securing their records because they can’t be reasonably sure they’ll recover their investment.

“The health care dollar has really been stretched to the extreme in the United States,” Deepak Ayyagari, director of technology programs for Sharp Laboratories of America, said during a daylong conference on digital health at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show. “We can’t invest further in all the things required because we don’t see a market.”

We at the 911 Family of Products, of course, counter that having a product like the 911 Medical ID Card can make consumer’s lives easier as medical professionals transition to digital records.  The goal of the card is to interface with all major doctor’s office record keeping systems.  As new EMR systems come online, the card will automatically be updated, at no charge to the cardholder.  This allows the user to easily keep up to date and in charge of their health information

To read the rest of the article on MSNBC, click here.