Electronic Medical Records: How Private Are They?

The great rush by everyone to convert medical records to electronic storage has produced such a suction on the brain that common sense has left the decision makers.

Multiple recent cyber attacks and successful hacking into businesses and even government agencies leads one to believe electronic storage of medical records not to mention financial data (read SS#s) is not as secure as touted. Private medical information can now be literally viewed by millions of people. My locked office cabinet file holds all my patients’ folders. Only 2-3 people have access to these files.

It certainly would take more effort and with a specific purpose/target to obtain a patient’s record in my office. Not so on the internet!!!