Outsourcing Means NO HIPAA?

[InkAddict]

Fox News
FOX REPORT with Lori Dhue

COULD VET'S MEDICAL RECORDS END UP IN TERRORIST'S HANDS?
Jonathan Hunt reports, you decide.

Susan Purdue was the computer Systems Administrator at this Asheville, North Carolina office of MedQuist, a New Jersey based company providing medical transcription for Veterans hospitals. Shortly after 9-11, she noticed the times on some files transmitted from another office were half a day off and called to ask why.

“I was told that the reason for the discrepancy in the time stamp was because it was our offshore stuff and I said "offshore where" and she said well India and Pakistan but our clients don't know about that so don't say anything.” Purdue said, “I was watching this report upload and it was about this soldier who had been injured in Kandajar and he had been sent home and told to follow up with his local VA.”

Purdue’s managers told her to drop the issue, but in Sept 2002 she told them she was calling the FBI. Six months later, MedQuist closed its Asheville office. Purdue was the only employee not given another job.

.... "MedQuist is not in a position to confirm with certainty the adequacy of InfoScript's security measures prior to 2002." Citing an ongoing investigation, the VA would not discuss MedQuist directly but said contractors are required to safeguard patient data although "There are no regulations...that specifically address transcription work being performed offshore." VA Spokesperson
Purdue said, “The thing that keeps me awake at night to this day is thinking that some terrorist is going to come in this country with perfectly good travel credentials that belong to a veteran.”

In Asheville, North Carolina - Jonathan Hunt, Fox News

Repug Admin SNAFU? - Seems a bit odd that FAUX Would Care to Report This Security Issue. Perhaps they were just playing up to the vets on their day this past week?

[Amich]

1. thanks for this bit of informantion

I think I will call my VA tomarrow and find out if my file has be outsourced. I will be pissed to say the least.

[Tux]

3. Do it

If I was a vet, I'd be pissed. Actually, I am pissed. It's a shame and disrespectful to our vets. Offshoring isn't cheaper but hey, why not give info to other nations that could later turn on us?

Yes, I'm bitter since the only jobs I can get are temp jobs due to this crap.

[Warpy]

2. I've been trying to warn people for a couple of years

that the outsourcing frenzy that has their medical records being dictated and their medical billing being done in India is a huge mistake, if only because India has no confidentiality laws whatsoever.

There has already been one case of extortion involving medical records that I know about. There are probably many others that the news media haven't bothered to report.

Consider applying for an insurance plan in the future, whether medical or additional life insurance. All they have to do is search your records in India and they'll know everything about your medical history and adjust their rates upward accordingly or even deny you coverage altogether. Consider being denied employment because a search of your records in India turned up a health problem which might cause a company's premiums to escalate.

This is bad, folks, as bad as having things like your taxes and your credit cards processed there.

[Meow]

4. Too Late!

Outsourcing is happening, everything form softwear to medical and financial records.. :) Country's data is outsourced to include: India, Pakistan, and China. :)

Ohh well!