Using the internet to access confidential patient records: A case study

Abstract

The use of information technology to improve health care is the cornerstone of the government's strategy for the new NHS. We have described a simple to use, yet effective, method for securely connecting a hospital diabetes information system across the internet, thereby providing patient specific information to general practices or even patients' homes. We believe that such systems could be generically applied to most, if not all, forms of chronic disease management Easy access to clinically relevant information may improve patient care and, by reducing unnecessary duplication of investigations, save money. Although NHSnet will provide an NHS-wide private network, dinicians should realize that it is not the only solution for providing access to patients' information. We believe that our system is as safe as, if not safer than, NHSnet. The sooner an NHS-wide standardization for encryption and trusted third party verification is defined the better. Hopefully, these standards will be seamlessly integrated into chronic disease management systems to enable clinicians to fully harness the benefits of improved availability of information without jeopardizing patient confidentiality.