title: Patient confidentiality and privacy: the Federal initiative.
abstract: Individual privacy rights are considered in the context of our increasingly computerized society. Guidelines for the maintenance of confidentiality of health care records are reviewed, and the provisions of four bills under consideration by Congress are examined. The dangers of legislation that authorizes government access to mental health treatment data are underlined, and preventive action on the part of mental health professionals is urged.
mesh_terms: D002961:Civil Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D035082:Federal Government; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D035846:Law Enforcement; D008499:Medical Records; D033283:Patient Access to Records; D028701:Patient Rights; D014481:United States