What Will Happen to Patient Privacy with Healthcare Reform?

Advances in technology have allowed for better quality of care and easier access to medical records for health professionals who need them. Unfortunately, these advances have also made the violation of patient confidentiality easier. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountablility Act (HIPAA) regulates patient privacy and determines how patient records should be handled and transferred. Only authorized person are allowed to view this information, but even that number has grown due to the many parties involved in even the most basic medical care; increased access to medical records can easily make the entire system more vulnerable to unauthorized distribution of sensitive information. this leaves some patients skeptical about what will happen to patient confidentiality in the coming years, especially in light of health care reform.

Because most records are already transferred via an electronic database, patient confidentiality should not be adversely affected by the recent health care reform known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA); if anything, confidentiality should improve with more federal oversight. Some issue have been raised over how online doctors, who give online prescriptions, will be able to maintain their strict confidentiality when healthcare passes. Even so, critics are skeptical of having medical records so easily accessible, especially when even professionals can take sensitive patient information and use it for illegal purposes such as selling social security numbers or financial information kept on file.

In Texas, for example, ImmTrac is a medical record database that is being implemented in hospitals for newborns getting their first vaccinations. If the parents approve this tracking of medical information, the child's vaccination records can be accessed from a database in case any hard copies of his or her records are lost. Anyone who signs up for this registry will have their child's date of birth, address, and parent information posted to the database, but what might be even more worrisome is that, with additional consent, the child's social security number and mother's maiden name can be stored; although these records are intended to prevent duplication of medical records, some worry that a database's security can easily be compromised.

As it stands, most communications in the health care system occur electronically. Pharmacies, online doctor's offices, and hospitals have their own patient databases, and the records are kept confidential under HIPAA regulations. However, not knowing who sees these records can give some people a sense of uneasiness. One way to help reduce the risk of privacy violation is to conduct as much  business as possible from home. For years, disabled patients or patients in remote, rural areas have purchased online prescription drugs. Major pharmacies including Walgreens allow established customers to refill a prescription online, and they offer the options of pickup and shipping to for added convenience and privacy.

Patient privacy and confidentiality is already becoming more heavily regulated even without the full implementation of the PPACA. However, patients should always stay informed as to how their medical information is used. The Office of Civil Rights has already imposed an increase on the penalties for HIPAA violations. Also, health facilities must now inform patients as to how their medical records and personal information are used, and they are prohibited from withholding treatment or coverage if the patient does not authorize the sharing of records with third parties.

With increased penalties for privacy violations and improved oversight of HIPAA regulations, the PPACA is expected to improve patient confidentiality. Even so, patient can also take precautions by being informed as to how their medical information is used, and patients who use online doctors for prescription medication can fill their prescriptions online in the privacy of their own homes.

Get a Prescription Online from and Online Doctor at www.QuickRxRefills.com.

WARNING: Limitations of Online Doctor/Medical Consultations and Online Prescriptions, QuickRxRefills cannot Prescribe, Dispense, or Resell any and all Narcotics/Controlled Substances (this policy is fully enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)) for Pain, Anxiety, Weightloss, Sleep, ADHD/ADD including non-controlled substances or any medications that are considered controversial or recalled in nature such (i.e. Retin-A, Accutane). Furthermore, QuickRxRefills is not a substitute for an office based physician in your location nor is it a substitute for Emergency Medical Care or 911. If you do experience a "true" medical emergency your are encouraged to pick up the phone and dial 911 as soon as possible.