Electronic health records and privacy.

摘要

Privacy is commonly viewed as the ability to control information about one's self, such as medical and personal data. There is no universal definition of privacy, and interpretations vary widely with respect to culture, individual philosophies, and national perspectives. Scholars note a tension between the right to privacy and the need to share information for the greater good. In the US, protections for the privacy of health information are found in the constitution, state and federal regulations, and case law (Han, 2006; Hodge & Gostiu, 2004; Magnusson, 2004; Myers, Frieden, Bherwani, & Henning, 2008; National Conference of State Legislatures, 2007). For more detailed information, readers can access the US government's web site: http://www. hhs.gov/healthit/privacy/resources/html (Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). In 1996, Congress passed the Health Information Privacy and Portability Act (HIPAA), which required the adoption of national standards for health care transactions (Department of Health and Human Services, 2003).