Kroll Fraud Solutions Blog – A Dialogue on Data Security

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is seeking public comment regarding personal health records, now through December 10. Comments can be submitted through the website, on the following topics:

• Privacy and security and emerging technologies
• Consumer expectations about collection and use of health information
• Privacy and security requirements for non-covered entities
• Any other comments on personal health records (PHRs) and non-covered entities

The ONC is also hosting a day-long public roundtable discussion, Personal Health Records – Understanding the Evolving Landscape. According to the website, the purpose is to “inform ONC’s congressionally mandated report on privacy and security requirements for non-covered entities (non-CEs), with a focus on personal health records (PHRs) and related service providers.”

In June, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) issued its final rule to establish a temporary certification program for Electronic Health Record (EHR) Technology. This marks an important step towards allowing healthcare facilities to meet and achieve meaningful use, a requirement to qualify for incentive payments under Medicare and Medicaid. Yet, even with this new development, lingering security questions still plague the process, making the transition to an interoperable EHR system seem even further away and harder to achieve.