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Privacy, Security and Data sharing (PSDS) Committee Purpose | Description of Activities | Products | Founded | Minutes | Links
Privacy refers to an individual’s right to control their personal information. Confidentiality refers to an organization's responsibility to protect personal information obtained to provide or as a result of a service. Security refers to the actions an organization takes to protect that information. The mission of the PHDSC Privacy, Security and Data Sharing (PSDS) Committee (formerly known as the Privacy, Confidentiality and Data Sharing Committee) is to: § Represent broad public health and health services research interests on privacy and security issues § Address balancing the need for individual privacy, confidentiality, and security with the need for use of data for public health and research activities § Focus on priorities related to privacy, security, and data standardization, including implementation of the HIPAA privacy and security rules § Educate on privacy and security as related to public health and research The PSDS Committee is working on the development of educational resources for state and local health agencies on privacy and security issues related to HIPAA, national standards, and NHIN implementation. Recent PSDS activities include: § Participating on the AHIMA Security and Privacy Task Force under the RTI project to generate draft health information workflow sharing scenarios to assess variations in state and federal laws and business practices that hinder interoperability and the exchange of health information § Developing a joint national communications effort to communicate with both the public health sector as well as to groups involved in national efforts around the electronic health record, health information infrastructure, standards, and other health-related activities. § Writing and distributing letters to all state governors to: 1) support state efforts in the RTI contract; 2) encourage strong public health and other public sector participation; 3) outline some of the major privacy concerns for public health, especially those that differ from the private sector; and 4) offer the Consortium's support in the process. § Completing several case studies describing efforts by local public health agencies to implement the HIPAA Privacy Rule. PRISM: A Privacy Toolkit for Public Health Professionals - June 2007 The PRISM Privacy Tool is an interactive electronic tool to provide state and local government health programs, and public health departments and programs in particular, with a convenient and useful way to understand the basic legal privacy requirements for identifiable health information use and disclosure. The tool identifies and defines the baseline conditions and requirements that a public health or other government health entity must follow when using and disclosing specific types of health information. The PRISM tool is organized according to the three common roles and functions of state and local public health and other government health entities that often require use or disclosure of health information: public health authority, health care provider, and as a payer of health services. Using the HIPAA requirements as a general foundation, along with other applicable federal laws such as 42 CFR pt.2 and FERPA, the tool uses a set of tables to describe the general guidelines and requirements for uses and disclosures of various types of information (such as mental health, immunization, and reproductive health) by purpose category (such as treatment, public health, law enforcement, and research), and include recognition of where state law may come into play. The PRISM tool can be used in two ways: the tables can be downloaded separately, or the user can access specific information by clicking first on a specific table and then clicking on the icon in the box that corresponds to the use/disclosure of interest. The box will open a view of the contents for that specific information/purpose. The Consortium is also interested on your feedback on the tool and its usefulness; please use the feedback form available on the site. The PRISM tool was developed by Consortium members Walter G. Suarez, MD, MPH, Institute for HIPAA/HIT Education and Research and Vicki Hohner, MBA, Fox Systems, Inc, in association with the Lewin Group under contract with the National Center for Health Statistics. Legal review was provided by Joy Pritts, JD. Local Health Privacy Case Studies: These case studies provide real life examples of how to implement the provisions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule in the complex public health agency setting. These studies will help public health entities, particularly at the local level, determine when and how the HIPAA privacy regulation applies to them. This project was funded through a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration.
December 9, 2002
October 22, 2007
(PDF, 2 pages/75KB) See Information on Past PSDS Activities Click here for a list of privacy, security, and data sharing resources.
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Co-Chairs Vicki Hohner, MBA David P. Lawton, RN, PhD |
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