Patient privacy rule goes into effect

doi:10.1136/bmjusa.01030007

BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmjusa.01030007, (Published 5 September 2002)

News

Patient privacy rule goes into effect

Charles Marwick, Washington, DC
The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

This article originally appeared in BMJ USA

Washington $---$ As the final rule aimed at protecting the privacy of patients' medical records goes into effect, it is giving riseto just as much controversy as it generated when it was beingdrafted. The criticisms come, not just from health insurers, hospitals,and the health care industry (who say it will impose unacceptablecosts), but also from significant segments of the medical profession,such as the American Medical Association (AMA) and the AmericanPsychiatric Association (APA). At the same time, among the professionalmedical groups at least, there is agreement that it is betterthan nothing. The AMA has long supported patient records protection,but points out that the final rule does not fully achieve thatgoal.

The rule was issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at the end of December. It lays out standards forprotecting personal . . . [Full text of this article]