December 2002

Is privacy endangered in Minnesota?

An administrative law judge ruled that the Minnesota Health Department can collect medical data that would aid researchers who study disease clusters throughout the state. The decision came as a shock to groups who feel that the ruling puts patient privacy at risk.

An official with the state health department said that the risk to patient privacy is minimal compared to the benefits that would result from greater access to medical records. The ruling by judge Allan Klein provides for the creation of a huge database to track the quality of health care in the state. The database would include information such as individuals who had a stroke or an abortion, as well the specific medications taken by patients, the AP reports.

Klein said there was no way to reconcile the disparate perspectives and desires among privacy advocates and the Health Department, but admonished the Department to take the appropriate steps to protect patient privacy. Health officials claim the information gathered in the database would enable them to improve the quality of health care. They say patient identifiers would be deleted or encrypted before the data leaves the Department for any purpose.

Source: HIPAA Wire Service, www.medicalnewswire.com

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