Tags: Patient Privacy Rights, PATIENT PRIVACY TOOLKIT

For consumers looking for ways to start taking control of their personal health information, the nation’s leading health privacy watchdog, Patient Privacy Rights, is rolling out a new on-line “Patient Privacy Toolkit”.

Consumers can visit http://www.patientprivacyrights.org/ and find helpful information, useful forms and easy ways to take action to make their health records private.

“We’ve put together a number of ways you can both control your private health records from the ground up and fight for the privacy of your health records from the top down,” said Patient Privacy Rights’ Executive Director, Ashley Katz. “And we’re just getting started.” The toolkit will be updated every few months as needed.

One highlight of the Toolkit is a form covering “How to Talk to Your Doctor” that includes a simple list of questions to ask your provider. Consumers should know how electronic records are used in their doctor’s office, who can see and use their information and whether or not records are sent off to researchers or sold without consent.

Another eye-opener is a brochure contrasting the limited consumer protections in the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the powerful rights Americans have in existing law and medical ethics. Most Americans assume HIPAA gives them privacy at the doctor’s office. It doesn’t. For more information, visit: http://www.patientprivacyrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HIPAA_Intent_Vs_Reality

Consumers must be pro-active in order to protect their private health records. “Discuss with your health providers, hospitals, labs, and pharmacies your desire to keep your health record private,” says Patient Privacy Rights Founder Deborah Peel, MD. “Remind them that state laws and medical ethics require your permission before they share or sell your health data. Use these simple tools and take back control of your electronic health records.”

The ‘Patient Privacy Toolkit’ is an excellent resource to share with your readers to help them control the most sensitive information on Earth, their personal health information.