Information technologies need to protect patient confidentiality

To meet the needs of an increasing number of persons who require access to patient information, health systems have devoted significant financial resources to developing computerized medical records. As these enterprisewide information systems go online, however the risk of compromising patient confidentiality increases dramatically. State laws regarding patient confidentiality vary considerably, and national standards have not yet been established. Therefore, health systems need to take steps to ensure that their computerized patient records remain secure and confidential to avoid being found in violation of patients' legal right to privacy.