Background:

Advances in information technology, particularly the computerization of medical record information, and the ease with which computerized records may be accumulated, analyzed, searched and shared among widely dispersed users, raise patient health care confidentiality concerns. While recognizing these advances and the issues of confidentiality, it is also important to acknowledge that health care systems work best as a fully integrated system with fully informed providers whose function is to achieve optimal patient care outcomes. Pharmacists depend on this information to protect the patients from drug misadventures and to assess and monitor outcomes of pharmaceutical therapy.

VSHP recognizes that patients consider certain medical information to be particularly sensitive. VSHP believes all medical information is sensitive and should be given the utmost protection. VSHP also believes that with access to the patient's health record comes the pharmacist's professional responsibility to safeguard the patient's rights to privacy and confidentiality. Within health systems, all authorized practitioners should be encouraged to communicate freely with each other but to maintain patient confidentiality and privacy.

VSHP believes there is no potential breach of patient confidentiality when patient information is aggregated for use in legitimate research and statistical measurement and is not uniquely identifiable. Therefore, specific authorization by individual patients for access to this information is unnecessary.

Pharmacists participate extensively in clinical trials of drugs. VSHP believes all clinical trial data must be recorded and stored in such a way that the subjects' rights of privacy and confidentiality are protected. Pharmacists should conform to all patient confidentiality regulations established by Investigational Review Boards and Committees conducting research.

VSHP believes pharmacy residency programs, schools of pharmacy and other training programs must have policies and procedures to ensure the confidentiality of patient medical records while allowing pharmacy students and residents access to these records in the course of their training.

VSHP believes a minimum standard for protection of patient health information should be adopted as federal law. States should retain the ability to adopt standards that are more stringent than federal law. VSHP believes that strict governmental protections must be in place to preclude dissemination of patient-identifiable information outside the health system (i.e. to an unauthorized third party) for any purposes that do not involve the direct provision of patient care or administration of health benefits. Health systems must have written policies and procedures in place to guard against the unauthorized collection, use, or disclosure of protected health information.

Position 1

The Virginia Society of Health-System Pharmacists (VSHP) supports protection of patient confidentiality.

Position 2

VSHP supports the patient's right to access and review their medical records and to have the ability to correct factual errors in those records. Patients should also have the right to know who has access to the medical records and how their medical information will be used. VSHP support pharmacists having access to patient health records in order to provide quality care and ensure the safe use of medications.

Position 3

VSHP supports adherence by all parties to all federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and organizational policies that protect patient confidentiality.

Approved by Board of Directors 09/24/99

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