An article published in yesterday’s USA Today should give proponents of personal
health records and ehealth. The story focused on how thieves are stealing medical records and using them to rack up fraudulent charges. According to the article:
“Doctors' offices, clinics and hospitals are a fruitful hunting ground for identity thieves, who are using increasingly sophisticated methods to steal patient information, lawyers and privacy experts say. . . . Legal experts say lawbreakers use medical information to get credit card numbers, drain bank accounts or falsely bill Medicare and other insurers.”
There isn’t a lot to say here that is not blindingly self-evident. Clearly, we shouldn’t use privacy concerns as an excuse to discourage people from using personal medical records and taking advantage of online health resources. However, we need to be sure people are educated – starting today – about the dangers of medical identity theft and how to prevent it.
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