HEALTH INFORMATION PRIVACY REFORM

Statutory protection for personal health information privacy is in cle ar need of reform. With few exceptions, current legal safeguards provi de uneven coverage and limited protection. Absence of a uniform federa l code of fair health information practices leaves individual nights i n health information compromised, exposes data users, and poses a pote ntial threat to the integrity of the datal Current legislative proposa ls for national health care reform seek to standardize privacy protect ion while simultaneously facilitating usage of personal health informa tion in an electronic data network. Reform provisions for confidential ity of health data will establish explicit duties for ''health informa tion trustees'' and should strengthen privacy safeguards in the workpl ace.