Digital health leads to data and patient privacy breach.

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A majority of health organizations are under-prepared to protect patient privacy and secure data as new uses for digital health information emerge and access to confidential patient information expands, according to a new report released today by the Health Research Institute at PwC US. Old privacy and security controls no longer suffice to comply with existing privacy laws and patient consent agreements, says PwC. Health organizations need to update practices and adopt a more integrated approach to ensure that patient information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.

In its report entitled Old data learns new tricks: Managing patient privacy and security on a new data-sharing playground, PwC says that existing privacy and security controls have not kept pace with new realities in healthcare: increased access to information in electronic health records; greater data collaboration with external partners and business associations; the emergence of new uses for digital health information to improve the quality and cost of care; and the rise of social media and mobile technology to better and more efficiently manage patient health.

Ref and Read more: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/health-industry-under-prepared-to-protect-patient-privacy-risk-of-data-breaches-rise-with-new-access-to-digital-health-information-says-pwc-2011-09-22

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