Privacy concerns slow EMR push

When rock stars, politicians or ordinary people getting their 15 minutes of fame end up in a healthcare facility, the unscrupulous and the curious fight to get a peek at their medical records. Worse, some try to sell access to the data. Though big companies, government leaders and insurance companies are all for EMR adoption, worries about this kind of snooping could potentially slow the adoption of digital health technology. Newly-ascendant Democrats are on record that they plan to address medical record privacy issues, with some supporting measures that would keep medical records out of electronic databases. They're responding, in part, to consumer fears. When employers push EMRs, consumers often ask whether participating can expose them to identity theft or privacy breaches, or worry that digital health information will be shared among employers and used to limit job options. To counteract these concerns, Pitney Bowes is offering employees a bonus if they store personal health records on WebMD.com.

Learn more about EMR privacy concerns:
- read this New York Times article (reg. req.)

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