Do Gaps in Health IT Security Laws Stunt Technology Innovation?

A new ONC report details the implications of health IT security laws on health IT innovation and development.

Gaps in privacy and security law may be hindering the development and expansion of health IT and EHR use across the industry, a recent report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology suggests.

The report details the privacy and security provisions in place to facilitate secure exchange of health data across various technologies. These safeguards include the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach notification laws, FTC consumer protection laws, and the various statewide health data privacy laws set in place to protect specific issues.

Although these provisions are expansive and have set out to protect various areas of health IT, including EHRs and mHealth devices, gaps are emerging. These gaps in security law are making it difficult for health technology developers to create new systems, and are potentially leaving patients exposed when transmitting their own health information...