American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatric Practice Action Group and Task Force on Medical Informatics. Privacy protection and health information: patient rights and pediatrician responsibilities.

TLDR

Pediatricians must understand their legal duty to safeguard identifiable patient health information, especially as electronic records are prone to unique security breaches, while new privacy standards must balance patient rights with the need to deliver quality care. The statement outlines pediatric patients’ privacy and confidentiality rights and recommends security strategies to prevent unauthorized access and misuse of their data. It recommends security measures and discusses liability limits for physicians handling transferred data.

Abstract

Pediatricians and pediatric medical and surgical subspecialists should know their legal responsibilities to protect the privacy of identifiable patient health information. Although paper and electronic medical records have the same privacy standards, health data that are stored or transmitted electronically are vulnerable to unique security breaches. This statement describes the privacy and confidentiality needs and rights of pediatric patients and suggests appropriate security strategies to deter unauthorized access and inappropriate use of patient data. Limitations to physician liability are discussed for transferred data. Any new standards for patient privacy and confidentiality must balance the health needs of the community and the rights of the patient without compromising the ability of pediatricians to provide quality care.