Balancing Privacy with Public Health Surveillance in Emergencies; Melamedia's Nov. 30 Audio Seminar Aims to Reduce Obstacles to Appropriate Sharing of Patient Data.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Misunderstandings among healthcare providers and public health authorities over sharing data threaten the nation's ability to respond to public health emergencies.

The response after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita revealed that many providers and others still do not understand or fear sharing patient data. The confusion complicates the response to a wide range of public health threats, including the threatened flu pandemic.

"Healthcare experts agree that privacy shouldn't be ignored, but privacy should not impede the preparation for or response to public health emergencies," observed Dennis Melamed, publisher of Melamedia's independent newsletter Health Information Privacy/Security Alert.

To help healthcare professionals respond to public health emergencies, Melamedia is sponsoring the 90-minute audio seminar: Balancing Privacy with Public Health Surveillance in Emergencies.

This timely briefing will reduce the uncertainty over sharing patient data with public health authorities in preparing for and addressing emergencies.

Participants will learn:

--Privacy principles that apply in disaster response and emergencies;

--Policies to govern data sharing to prevent or stem public health emergencies;

--HIPAA effects on sharing of patient data in emergency preparation and response;

--How state laws require the sharing of patient data with public health authorities;

--The importance of organizing business associates;

--Ways to balance syndromic surveillance with privacy; and more

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

    --  Privacy and Security Officers

    --  Public Health Professionals

    --  Emergency Response Professionals

    --  Compliance Officers

    --  Healthcare Administrators

    --  Healthcare Counsels

    --  CIOs

    --  HIM Professionals

    --  Healthcare Attorneys And Consultants

    THE FACULTY

    --  James G. Hodge, Jr., J.D., LL.M. Associate Professor, Johns
        Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Executive
        Director, Center for Law and the Public's Health at Georgetown
        and Johns Hopkins Universities. Professor Hodge was deeply
        involved in drafting several public health law reform
        initiatives, including the Model State Public Health
        Information Privacy Act.

    --  Dan Drociuk, MT(ASCP), MSPH. Director, Bioterrorism
        Surveillance and Response Program, South Carolina Department
        of Health and Environmental Control.

    --  Moderator, Dennis Melamed. Publisher, Health Information
        Privacy/Security Alert

    REGISTRATION

    To register for the seminar, visit www.melamedia.com or call
    [phone]

    --  Registration: $299 per call-in site, includes CD recording.

    --  Seminar alone: $250.

    CAN'T MAKE THE DATE?

    CD set w/course materials: $250.