There is already a lack of health record privacy and it will get worse as more records become digitized, according to Deborah Peel. In a Wall Street Journal editorial, Peel, a psychiatrist and founder of Patient Privacy Rights, says that without proper privacy controls, electronic records will expose patients to significant privacy risks, and may erode patient-doctor trust. Patient Privacy Rights is calling for Congress to pass legislation that would build an online registry where patients can control their electronic medical records' privacy settings. "When patients realize they can't control who sees their electronic health records, they will be far less likely to tell their doctors about drinking problems, feelings of depression, sexual problems or exposure to sexually transmitted diseases," she says. (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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