JR>. Curiously, a lot of intelligent US people seem to flout HIPAA in sending PHI in open email,
BF>Glad to hear that.
Are you serious? IMHO sending patient data in the clear, values a few moments of personal convenience more highly than patient expectations of confidentiality. How long does it take to zip up the info with AES256? Moments. Better, if there's a support system with SSL, paste it in there rather than blatting off an email.
Sorry but IMHO it's a slippery slope to start tolerating cavalier attitudes towards privacy- especially when you see casual observance of HIPAA.
>>Lots of idiotic laws out there, but HIPPAA deserves some kind of an award for breaking down the last few barriers of common sense.
Common sense says don't send OBGYN records onto the internet in the clear. Sadly this common sense isn't all that common, so laws are needed- with those laws demonstrating that common sense is even less common than you'd hope.
Meamwhile check out the new Euro privacy regs if you don't like HIPAA.
"... They ne'er cared for us
yet: suffer us to famish, and their store-houses
crammed with grain; make edicts for usury, to
support usurers; repeal daily any wholesome act
established against the rich, and provide more
piercing statutes daily, to chain up and restrain
the poor. If the wars eat us not up, they will; and
there's all the love they bear us."
-- Shakespeare: Coriolanus, Act 1, scene 1
