David Harlow, Author at SPM Blog

The Doctor as Patient

by David Harlow | Jun 23, 2014

Charlotte Yeh is the Chief Medical Officer of AARP Services, and has had a long career in government and as a practicing emergency physician. (Our paths first crossed years ago when we were both working on pre-hospital care reform in Massachusetts.) She wrote a piece...

The Iceberg Waiting for Your Health Care Data

by David Harlow | May 1, 2014

The Heartbleed web security exploit was first publicized several weeks ago. In the time since then, numerous web-based services have let their users know (some more clearly than others) whether and how their data security was compromised by this OpenSSL flaw that has...

Patients to Have Right to Access Lab Test Result Data – Finally!

by David Harlow | Feb 4, 2014

The lab test result data access rule is finally final. See the HHS press release and the final rule, which is scheduled to be published on Thursday. What does this mean? In a nutshell, patients in all 50 states are now guaranteed the right to access the results of...

Rainbow Button – 2013 Edition

by David Harlow | Oct 14, 2013

Meaningful Use Stage 2 includes the requirement that health care providers with EHRs seeking Meaningful Use incentive dollars demonstrate that 5% of patients actually view, download or transmit their data. The HIPAA/HITECH Omnibus Rule, which is now fully in effect...

Expanding HIPAA Rights: Lab Test Results to Come Under the Big Tent

by David Harlow | Sep 23, 2013

[Note added by e-Patient Dave: this is such a big deal that I’m taking the rude step of adding highlights [bold] to Attorney Harlow’s post!] We’re inching closer to promulgation of final regulations that will likely make all lab test results more...