Research archive: Vol. 33 No.1

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Volume 33 Number 1: >> Privacy of health information

	Health privacy: the draft Australian national health privacy code and the shared longitudinal electronic health record Moira Paterson and Livia Iacovino [ PDF ] Abstract An explicit distinction between shared electronic health records and those at the point of care is required when referring to electronic health records. The former raises particular privacy issues discussed in this paper in relation to HealthConnect and the Draft Australian National Health Privacy Code. In addition to a number of revisions to the code, the analysis recommends that related legislation such as archival and freedom of information law should be reconciled as much as possible within the code, so that a long-term view of the uses, retention and preservation of the longitudinal electronic health record is balanced with privacy, confidentiality and public interest.
	The implications of data privacy legislation for the development of hospital information systems Reeva Lederman [ PDF ] Abstract This research provides an analysis of the implementation of medical data privacy law in Australia, with emphasis on the Victorian Health Records Act 2001 (HRA). We examine the ability of health organisations to respond to the requirements of this legislation, and similar health privacy legislation elsewhere, and illustrate that this ability is affected by the quality of their patient data and the structure and security of their databases. This article suggests that compliance with the legislative provisions creates implications for information systems development and design, which large public and private hospitals have so far failed to consider or act upon.