ADVISORY/Sapient Health Network Hosts Online Forum To Discuss Privacy, Confidentiality and Security of Electronic Health Information On the Internet.

--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- -0-

Event: Online forum for members to discuss privacy, confidentiality
  and security of electronic health information on the Internet.
When: Wednesday, September 23, 1998 at 5:00 PM (PDT)
Who: Hosted by Suzanne Bakken Henry, R.N., DNSc, Associate Professor,
  Nursing and Medical Information Science at the University of
  California, San Francisco. Henry is a nationally recognized
  expert in health care standards and electronic health records.
Where: Point your browser to http://www.shn.net and register as a
  member. SHN members will go to their respective disease groups,
  go to the chat selection, select SHN Foyer and from there select
  shn_auditorium.

-0-

SHN (Sapient Health Network(tm)), http://www.shn.net, a free, online health information and support service for people with chronic and serious illnesses, invites Web browsers to discuss the confidentiality and security of electronically stored personal health information with Suzanne Bakken Henry, R.N., DNSc, a national expert on healthcare standards and electronic health records.

The confidentiality and security of online health information is an area of great public concern. Many patients with medical conditions, and families with health concerns, turn to the Web to find detailed information, current articles and emotional support beyond that provided by their primary care providers. Henry will discuss the privacy and security concerns of SHN members, including ways that individuals can take advantage of health information and support on the Internet while protecting their confidentiality.

SHN is committed to protecting the privacy of its members and promoting good privacy policies among all Internet health information providers. Its privacy policy protects its members' personal identities while delivering personalized, reliable and relevant health information. SHN is a subscriber to the standards set by TRUSTe, the online privacy organization committed to the self-regulation of privacy on the Internet, and HON (Health on the Net), an international initiative dedicated to the development of the Internet as a resource for medical and healthcare information. The online privacy discussion further demonstrates SHN's commitment to member privacy.

Members of the media are invited to register as a member and participate in the discussion. To request an interview with Susan Bakken Henry, or to obtain a transcript of the discussion after it occurs, please contact Jeremiah Hall or Masaye Waugh at 415/512-0770 or jhall or [e-mail].