title: Commentary: quality, costs, privacy and electronic medical data.
abstract: While agreeing that proper confidentiality measures are necessary when handling patient records, author discusses finding a balance between privacy and the benefits of using patient data to improve quality and to control costs.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Bates
mesh_terms: D016494:Computer Security; D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D030881:Disclosure; D026724:Ethical Review; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States