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How an Electronic Medical Record Can Help Keep Your Family Healthy

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"... The first concern is that of hackers independent of a practice or medical institution somehow accessing patient data care for malicious purposes. The chances of a hacker accessing Internet-based EHRs and client server-based EHRs that don’t transmit their patient data across the public forum of the Web are miniscule..."
I agree, though I think the likelihood of a hacker breaking into a web-based EMR is pretty low as well. Compared to other online activities, namely banking and shopping, the incentives aren't as strong. For reference, of the 200,000 claims to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, 60% fall under the category of auction fraud, 6.3% are from credit card fraud and 2.7% are from financial institution fraud (online banks). Here's an article on the issue: http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/medical/the-double-standard-for-web-based-emrs/

Houston of CA 6:21PM March 19, 2009

I think there are three separate concerns that tend to be lumped together when people start debating the privacy of electronic health records, and we need to address all three to convince the doubtful that EHRs can keep patient data secure. The first concern is that of hackers independent of a practice or medical institution somehow accessing patient data care for malicious purposes. The chances of a hacker accessing Internet-based EHRs and client server-based EHRs that don’t transmit their patient data across the public forum of the Web are miniscule (note that the security differences between Internet-based and Web-based applications are not known by many people, who tend to lump the two technologies together; see http://www.nuesoft.com/evolve to understand the difference). If Obama’s administration sets some minimum security standards relating to interoperability and the way that EHRs transmit data, patient information will quite literally be as secure as data held by the Federal Reserve or Defense Department.
The second privacy concern is that people within the practice or medical institution, whether a care provider or support staff, may access patient records needlessly out of curiosity (most likely with celebrities). However, electronic health records make this type of security breach less likely, not more likely; different permissions levels for different users and the “audit trail” in place on robust EHRs make records more secure than paper records.
Finally, there’s a worry that health information will be shared with companies against our wishes. Although EHRs make data easier to transmit, this is not really a concern about implementing EHRs; it’s a concern about federal regulations – and the ethical standards of the health care industry. Choosing to not store patient data electronically won’t prevent changes in privacy regulations, although it might stunt progress in health care.

Cassie Harman, Nuesoft Technologies of GA 11:34AM March 19, 2009

You're not making much sense to me.
I fail to understand why you can't email or phone a doctor today, if he isn't hiding at the golf course. How does having records on the Internet improve the surly, supercilious attitude of doctors? Why would you want to access your medical records from Mali? If you're normal, you probably have no trouble remembering that chronic rash in the genital area, or whatnot.
Isn't this really about Obama's desire to regiment and control our healthcare at the national level? Gather statistics, dossiers, and prices for federal control, at the expense of privacy?
I suppose the president and Congress will have special secured databases for themselves, because they are special people, while for us peasants hacked medical records will be fodder for telemarketers, teens snickering on Facebook, and nosy gossips.
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/03/p2p-networks-le.html
"Academic Claims to Find Sensitive Medical Info Exposed on Peer-to-Peer Networks
By Kim Zetter EmailMarch
An academic says he found thousands of sensitive medical records leaked over peer-to-peer networks from computers at hospitals, clinics and elsewhere."

Luther of IL 8:45PM March 17, 2009

Employers must be kept out of the records.
Insurance underwriting must be kept out of the records.
You must insist that you NEVER have to sign something saying you "hold harmless" any corporations for A) actually RELYING on your record or B) putting erroneous information into your records.

Muser of NM 4:14PM March 17, 2009