System Gives Patients Privacy Control

HDM Breaking News, May 16, 2008

IBM Corp. and HIPAAT Inc., a vendor of health information consent management applications, have jointly developed software that grants patients more control over who can access their data in various systems.

The software is designed to enable patients to use Naples, Fla.-based HIPAAT's Web-based Privacy eSuite to choose the caregivers they want and don't want to have access to their medical information. It then uses IBM's Service Oriented Architecture Foundation interoperable technology to integrate with various electronic health records systems, personal health records technologies and health information exchange systems to ensure the patient's data is secured according to their instructions.

The integrated system also enables physicians to use a Web-based application to view authorized data for patients in various information systems at the other entities that use the software. Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM already has been using the technology with two of the National Health Information Network trial implementation sites: the North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance Inc., Research Triangle Park, and MedVirginia, Richmond, Va.

It now plans to market the software to other hospitals, health information exchanges and physician practices. For more information, go to ibm.com or hipaat.com.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:

• Consumer Health
• Data Security
• Electronic Health Records
• Health Information Exchange
• Hospitals
• Group Practices
• Payers