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IFHRO/AHIMA CONGRESS Washington DC 13 October 2004. Health information privacy A New Zealand Perspective. Blair Stewart Assistant Privacy Commissioner New Zealand. New Zealand at a glance. 4 million people somewhere in the SW Pacific About 8500 doctors, 36500 nurses/midwives
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IFHRO/AHIMA CONGRESSWashington DC13 October 2004 Health information privacy A New Zealand Perspective Blair Stewart Assistant Privacy Commissioner New Zealand
New Zealand at a glance • 4 million people somewhere in the SW Pacific • About 8500 doctors, 36500 nurses/midwives • 445 hospitals (85 public, 360 private) • 23,825hospital beds • National 24/7 no fault comprehensive accident compensation scheme • 21 elected District Health Boards
Digital health records in NZ • Practically all general practices use computers • 1999: estimated 30-40% all GPs used some form of EHR (EPR?) and 47.5% NZ GPs use Internet to support clinical practice* …now? • National Health Index No assigned to everyone • National Practitioner Index plan • No national EHR but various local or specialised projects to promote interconnectivity * Source: NZ Ministry of Health, WAVE report, 2001
NZ Privacy Act 1993 Law covers all personal information: • in whatever form (e.g. manual or electronic) • in both public and private sectors 12 information privacy principles (based on OECD) Privacy Commissioner
Privacy Commissioner • Independent public official • Dispute resolution: • Investigates, conciliates complaints (c 1000pa, <4% proceed to a tribunal) • Watchdog, public education, policy roles • Issues binding codes
Health Information Privacy Code 1994 • Sectoral code applying across health sector • Tailored, flexible, enforceable • 12 rules (collection, use, disclosure, security, access, correction, retention, unique identifiers)
Continuing/future issues and concerns Difficulty of reconciling patient confidentiality with inexorable drive to share information
Continuing/future issues and concerns Diminished individual control/autonomy (might EHR offer the converse?)
Role of health information management/health record professionals
Role of health information management/health record professionals In NZ a statutory role of “privacy officer” within every agency: • Encourage compliance • Deal with access/correction requests • Assist with investigations
It is critical for good privacy outcomes that health information professionals play an active role in privacy planning and implementation I
Further information Office of the Privacy Commissioner New Zealand www.privacy.org.nz