The Office of the National Coordinator has asked the public to comment about privacy and security concerns associated with the use of electronic personal health record systems and tools.

ONC also wants feedback on what consumers expect when their health information is collected and used for personal health records, according to a Nov. 1 announcement.

ONC wants comments about these issues for a roundtable discussion on PHRs and other emerging technologies it is convening in December.

PHRs will play an increasingly larger role as electronic health records and meaningful use take root as methods to enable patients to access their medical information and manage their health.

Some PHRs are available through healthcare providers and health plans, which are covered by the privacy and security rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, HIPAA does not govern PHR technology developers, such as Microsoft and Google. 
 
ONC's roundtable discussion on Dec. 3 will explore approaches to the privacy and security requirements that should apply to third-party PHR vendors.

The all-day conference will also examine how current PHRs and related technologies, including mobile technologies and social networking, are evolving. The forum will also explore consumer and industry attitudes toward privacy and security practices associated with those technologies.
Individuals may comment until Dec. 10.