“Thank you, Chairman Pallone, for holding this hearing and yours and Chairman Dingell’s tireless work to get a bill moving on HIT and privacy.  This issue has been percolating for years and it is a credit to you both that we are moving forward today.

“Healthcare is probably one of the last few industries that are dominated by a paper-based recordkeeping system.    As a nurse, I know all too well what it’s like to maintain those high cabinets of medical files…And also what it’s like to read through a large file that contains years of information, often haphazardly organized.  It is quite frustrating that while I can be confident in J. Crew having a record of what color and size pants I ordered in 2002, my physician may not know the last time I had a tetanus shot!

“A national standard for implementation of electronic health records systems is long overdue and I am very supportive of Titles I and II of the draft bill that address adoption and testing.   

“It is my hope that today we can discuss some issues of great importance.  Countless breaches of personal health information have occurred over the last several years as electronic records have become more common.

“First and foremost, we lack a clear definition of privacy and the right to privacy and security with respect to personal health information.  I believe defining this right is key to ensuring greater protection for patients.

“Furthermore we need to specify language regarding the segregation of sensitive health information, which was recommended by the National Committee on Vital Health Statistics.

 “Other areas of improvement I would like to see are public lists where security breaches have occurred and a more explicit mandate of security measures like encryption and audit trails. 

 “I do want to thank the Committee for putting together this draft and seriously considering important privacy issues that needed to be addressed.  Expanding the scope of which entities are covered is crucial.

 “Mr. Chairman, I thank you for all your attention to these issues and I look forward to continuing to work with you on them.

“Thank you, I yield back.”

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.