I’ve recently been making the annual round of doctors, dentists, etc. required to keep one’s body in check. At each encounter, I’ve been cheerfully greeted by the office assistant handing me a clipboard with HIPAA forms that I have to read and agree to. What’s fascinating about the whole process is that these forms all seem to be asking for my consent to allowing them to continue doing what they’ve been doing for years — sharing information with various medical-related databases, insurance providers, etc.
So, assuming this process is being repeated millions of times all across America every working day, what exactly did HIPAA deliver for me? Just more forms and bureaucracy (and embedded costs) apparently. Maybe there’s really some more to it in terms of benefits for me as an individual as Marne Gordan from TruSecure opines in ComputerWorld?