In the realm of health care, privacy protections are needed to preserve patients' dignity and prevent possible harms. Ten years ago, to address these concerns as well as set guidelines for ethical health research, Congress called for a set of federal standards now known as the HIPAA Privacy Rule. In its 2009 report, Beyond the HIPAA Privacy Rule: Enhancing Privacy, Improving Health Through Research, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Health Research and the Privacy of Health Information concludes that the HIPAA Privacy Rule does not protect privacy as well as it should, and that it impedes important health research.

Discover how to use the Internet to locate primary sources for medical information. This focused guide zeros in on the most valuable sites and techniques for staying up-to-date on medical issues, grasping new technologies, and enhancing medical practice. Companion CD software Data.zip (1MB) Demos.zip (2.1MB) Resource.zip (1.4MB)