9 in 10 Americans Want Their Health Info Kept Private

By Sydney Murphy HealthDay Reporter
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 2, 2022 (HealthDay News) — More than 9 in 10 Americans consider that medical privateness is a proper and their well being information should not be on the market, a brand new survey from the American Medical Association exhibits.

The survey unearthed considerations about information privateness protections and confusion about who can entry private well being info.

Nearly 75% of sufferers have been involved about defending the privateness of non-public well being information, however solely 20% have been conscious of the businesses and people who had entry to their information.

That concern has solely been heightened by the current Supreme Court choice overturning Roe v Wade, as a scarcity of information privateness might put sufferers and physicians in authorized jeopardy in states that criminalize abortion.

According to the survey, sufferers are most snug with their medical doctors and hospitals accessing their private well being info, whereas they’re least snug with social media websites, employers and expertise corporations.

“Patients belief that physicians are dedicated to defending affected person privateness — a vital ingredient for trustworthy well being discussions,” stated Dr. Jack Resneck Jr., president of the American Medical Association (AMA). “Many digital well being applied sciences, nonetheless, lack even primary privateness safeguards. More should be achieved by policymakers and builders to guard sufferers’ well being info.

“Most well being apps are both unregulated or under-regulated, requiring close to and long-term coverage initiatives and strong enforcement by federal and state regulators,” Resneck added in an AMA information launch. “Patient confidence in information privateness is undermined as expertise corporations and information brokers acquire entry to indelible well being information with out affected person data or consent and share this info with third events, together with legislation enforcement.”

According to the survey, a powerful majority of sufferers demand accountability, transparency and management in relation to the privateness of their medical data. A full 94% of sufferers need corporations to be held legally liable for the way their well being information is used.

Patients share the identical sentiment (93%) relating to the necessity for builders of well being apps to be open about how their companies use and distribute particular person affected person information. Patients need management over the data that corporations acquire about them and the way it’s used, to forestall unauthorized entry to and use of non-public well being information.

Here are different particular takeaways from the survey:

• Nearly 80% of sufferers need the choice to decide on to not share any, some, or all of their well being info with companies.
• More than 75% of sufferers choose to present their consent earlier than an organization makes use of any of their well being information.
• More than 75% of sufferers need to obtain notifications earlier than an organization makes use of their well being information for a brand new goal.

Patients additionally need medical doctors and hospitals to be geared up with the expertise to look at apps for safety and privateness options.

More info

Visit the ACLU for extra on medical privateness.

SOURCE: American Medical Association, information launch, July 25, 2022