Data Protection and Confidentiality in Health Informatics

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The present situation of data protection in health informatics in Europe can be described as alarming. Notwithstanding the ever increasing use of information technology, a decade has passed since the appearance of the council of Europe Data Protection Convention and the recommendation on Automated Medical Data Banks, without much progress being achieved. To enable the best use of information technology in the health sector, urgent action needs to be taken. The causes for concern stem from two major factors, Firstly, when the question is asked whether the principles of data protection are being respected in the health information sector, it is impossible to give a definite answer. Secondly, the participants at the working conference, from their personal non-systematic observations shared the opinion that in the fast majority of cases the principles and recommendations have not properly been implemented. Experience from the field shows that in the health sector the people involved are often indifferent and in some cases reluctant to ensure the implementation of data protection measure. Both the indifference and possible even some of the reluctance may arise from the general lack of awareness about the issues involved. This makes the implementation of the required organizational measures difficult.