Title:
E-health
Data Privacy- How Far It Is Protected?
Abstract: The advancements in
Information and Communication Technology have enabled the health
industry to carry out diagnosis, analysis and treatment by online
doctors or medical practitioners beyond geographical bountries. In the
process, all relevant information about the patient are stored in the
computer system of the medical practitioner and other related parties
for record and reference purposes. The collection, use and storage of
the medical information in the computerized system facilitate easy
access for further use and reference. But the greatest challenge is
providing protection of privacy and confidentiality of the medical
information (data) that being stored. The developed nations see the
inevitable transition of ICT based industries is a common phenomenon.
Having realised this phenomenon, countries like the US, the UK and
Australia have taken bold steps towards improving and enhancing the
health sector by ensuring adequate protection for the patients’
records. For example, Australia through the National Health Information
Management Advisory Council’s Health Online: A Health Information
Action Plan for Australia provides strategy for information
management and the use of online technology within the health sector.
It also addresses the issue of protection of patient’s records against
abuses. One of the fast developing countries like Malaysia is also
striving towards providing some sort of protection for health data
privacy. The research utilizing the content comparative legal research
methodologies seeks to analyse the legal framework of Australia and
Malaysia on e-health data privacy to see how far the legal protection
is available and its level of adequacy.
Authors: Jawahitha
Sarabdeen and Mohamed Ishak Mohamed Mazahir