Health Information Technology: Early Efforts Initiated but Comprehensive Privacy Approach Needed for National Strategy

January 2007 Health Information Technology: Early Efforts Initiated but Comprehensive Privacy Approach Needed for National Strategy The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to describe the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) efforts to ensure consumer privacy of health information as part of its national strategy and to identify challenges associated with protecting electronic personal health information. To do this, GAO assessed relevant HHS privacy-related initiatives and analyzed information from health information organizations. GAO recommended that HHS define and implement an overall privacy approach that identifies milestones for integrating the outcomes of its initiatives, ensures that . . .