Related Links

Web Seminars

The Smart Card Alliance, a multi-industry trade association, has endorsed recommendations for privacy authentication from the HIT Policy Committee's Privacy and Security Tiger Team to govern the exchange of data between electronic health records systems (see story).

The Princeton Junction, N.J.-based alliance particularly endorses the recommendation that all organizations involved in exchanges of protected health information be required to use digital certificates. "In our view, provider entities and organizations should take note of this proposed ruling and go even further; digital certificates should also be the basis for identifying and authenticating all individual health professionals, including administrative staff, who have access to electronic health information records," says Randy Vanderhoof, executive director.

The alliance also touts smart cards as an effective and user-friendly way to distribute and use digital credentials. More information is available at smartcardalliance.org.

--Joseph Goedert