WASHINGTON - Patient privacy of mental health records was the focus yesterday during a hearing in Chicago, Illinois on the proposed National Health Information Network, which is an element of the Health Information Technology initiative put forth by President Bush in April 2004. The hearing was held by the Subcommittee on Privacy and Confidentiality of the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics whose charge it is to make recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services as to what privacy protections are necessary to implement an effective electronic health record.
Testifying on behalf of the American Psychological Association, Russ Newman, Ph.D., J.D., executive director for professional practice, raised concerns regarding the need to maintain an extraordinarily high level of privacy where mental health records are concerned.
"We believe that a National Health Information Network (NHIN) has the potential to improve the quality of health care provided in this country, allowing instant access to critical health information at any point of care," said Newman. "At the same time, however, we are extremely concerned about issues of privacy and confidentiality, particularly with mental health records, raised by this proposed increase in accessibility of health information."
According to Newman, in order to develop the NHIN in a manner which will promote quality healthcare, it is critical to consider the unique privacy issues relating to mental health records. "Most people understand that mental health records are particularly sensitive because they may contain a patient's innermost personal information. Many also are aware that, unfortunately, the stigma attached to mental illness and mental health treatment makes the records of that treatment especially sensitive. Any breach of privacy could be devastating to the patient. Unlike most other areas of health care, the mere possibility that confidential information might be disclosed prevents successful treatment from occurring by interfering with the development of the necessary trusting psychotherapy relationship and open communication with the therapist."
Additionally, Newman raised concerns about access to mental health records by others in the healthcare system not trained or experienced with mental health issues, health insurers and law enforcement officials. Newman also discussed what choice patients would have in deciding whether to have their records included in NHIN. "If patients consent to electronic records, it would be necessary to inform them of all potential uses of their records and by whom. While most patients may want their records available to health care professionals who are treating them, they might feel quite different about giving such access to insurance companies."
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 53 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.