As electronic patient health information systems become more fully developed and widespread, there are persistent concerns about the privacy and confidentiality of the personal health data being stored and disseminated. Standards Australia has released two Standards which provide useful guidelines for the organisational, technological and human behaviour solutions required to protect privacy and confidentiality in health care organisations. The major requirements of these Standards are outlined and the implications of the Standards for health information managers are discussed.
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3.
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4.
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (1996). Whose health records? Attitudes to consumer access to their health records and the need for law reform. Sydney: PIAC.
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Standards Australia (1995). Personal privacy protection in health care information systems (AS4400). Sydney: Standards Australia.
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Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand (1996). Information security management (AS/NZS4444). Sydney: Standards Australia.
