HIPAA and data sharing: Rethinking both for the Digital Age

As HIPAA was written when most providers still used paper charts, the framework today has plenty of room for improvement. Ironically, HIPAA was written at a time when most providers were on paper charts and submitting paper claims. It established a framework for protecting patient information and focused heavily on the way providers shared patient information.The subsequent HITECH (Health Information for Economic and Clinical Health) Act of 2009 focused on the promotion of electronic medical records and meaningful use in...