Modifications to the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information -- Final Rule
This site is sponsored by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It discusses the modifications to the original Privacy Rule to ensure that the strong push for privacy protection does not interfere with access to quality health care.
Even though most health entities had to be compliant April 14, 2003, small health plans have another year to become compliant (April 14, 2004).
An interesting fact in the text concerns selling lists of patients and enrollees to third parties. Could it be that your cholesterol problem information was given to a pharmaceutical company and that is why you are receiving ads for cholesterol lowering medications?
This is a relatively small site, and it contains concise information. One relief for all of us is that we may continue to use waiting room sign-in sheets, keep patient charts at the bedside, talk to patients in semi-private rooms and confer at nursing stations without worrying that a passerby has overheard us.
You may reach the Web site at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2002pres/20020809.html
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