Concerns still exist, but unique patient identifier may be an idea whose time has come, according to a Rand Corp. study released online today.

Quoted: It turns out that the compromise fashioned to adhere to the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act [HIPAA] mandating the creation of a system to accurately identify patients has resulted in a system in which privacy is at risk, while not doing enough to prevent errors.

Quoted: "Twelve months ago, the most important things on American voters' minds were the war and health care. Two days ago, the most important thing on American voters' minds is the economy. Health care and the war have taken a backseat."

With an aging population, behavior-related chronic conditions, and expensive innovations, companies must help people address their specific personal health concerns with thorough, transparent and specific information... Effective health engagement can build trust, and conversely, trust is the key to deeper engagement.

Quoted: The CDC's 2006 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey of 3,350 office-based physicians found 12.4 percent of physicians use comprehensive EMR systems in 2006, not significantly up from 9.3 percent in 2005.

Quoted: Starting next month, many enrollees in the insurer's plans will be able to move information from their Aetna "personal health record" -- an online repository of data that includes claims, diagnoses, test results and prescriptions -- to HealthVault.

Quoted: MyPACS.net creator Rex Jakobovits said success in health 2.0 is all about building critical mass. “One that’s there, it’s self-perpetuating.”

Quoted: American Medical News - System design and user error can contribute to vulnerabilities that increase your liability.

Quoted: New tools are being developed that may help harried patients monitor their medications, home tests and other details. This is part of a shift toward a medical system that is more centered on and directed by patients themselves.

First, however, patients will have to become comfortable placing medical data like readings from home tests online...such programs are still under development, and all of this remains to be seen.

Quoted: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services collaborate with state agencies to give incentives to small practices to use health IT, with incentives totaling up to $58,000 per physician over five years or $290,000 per practice over five years

Physicians have until Nov. 26 to submit an application for the incentive. CMS, as of October, has received 18 applications, the organizations reported.