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 Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Inc.
A Voice for Private Physicians Since 1943
Omnia pro aegroto

 

6/26/2007
Action Alert: Stop the Senate from Destroying Medical Privacy

The “Wired for Health Care Quality Act” by Senators Kennedy, Clinton, Enzi, and Hatch is scheduled for mark up Wednesday, June 27. Another fast-track bill with no opportunity for thorough reading, debate, contemplation, or hearings.

 

Dr. Peel makes many useful observations in the Patient Privacy Rights alert below. We oppose the bill for our own reasons, including the impossibility of protecting data once entered into a networked computer. The only real privacy protection is the right not to have your confidential information entered into the database in the first place. Many patients willingly waive confidentiality in exchange for getting a third party to pay their bill. But submission of information potentially available to hackers, snoops, and officials acting contrary to a patient’s best interest should never be a condition for receiving medical treatment from a willing physician on a self-paid basis.

 

The AAPS position is that:

 

  1. The use of information technology should be voluntary and not imposed by government.
  2. Patients have the right not to have personal data, even if “de-identified,” entered into an electronic database unless they voluntarily waive that right in exchange for some benefit such as third-party payment.
  3. Top-down central control destroys innovation. Information technology imposed in this way will be greatly inferior to that developing in a free market through voluntary decisions by free individuals.

 

Therefore, we oppose passage of this bill.

 

See the alert below for information on actions that you may wish to take.

 

 

 

 

 

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Dear michael,

Senators Kennedy, Clinton, Enzi and Hatch drafted the “Wired for Health Care Quality Act” with completely inadequate privacy provisions.  Their bill does not permit YOU to control who can see and use YOUR electronic health records.  These Senators have refused to add ironclad privacy protections and have no plans to hold a public hearing on the matter.

The bill is scheduled for mark-up and vote in the Senate Health Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee THIS WEDNESDAY --Please act today!

Tell them you demand better.  Contact the members of the HELP Committee now (see below for a list). 

Tell them:

1) DO NOT vote for the “Wired for Healthcare Quality Act” on Wednesday

  • This draft bill does not permit ME to control who can see and use MY electronic health records.

2) Unless ironclad privacy protections are added to this draft, it will create a superhighway for data mining, facilitating the theft of everyone’s personal electronic health information and prescriptions, causing US to lose OUR jobs or promotions, or be denied insurance and credit.

3) Privacy protections must be “wired” into the electronic health system up front.

  • Privacy protections cannot be added to electronic systems after they are built—the cost is prohibitive and the fixes don’t work.

To contact your Senator CALL the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. 

An analysis of the current bill can be found here. 

A set of recommended amendments can be found here.

Thank you for taking action!

Sincerely,

Dr. Deborah Peel

Patient Privacy Rights

 

Senate HELP Committee Members

*Chair

**Ranking Minority Member

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