• Center on Health Equity & Access
  • Clinical
  • Health Care Cost
  • Health Care Delivery
  • Insurance
  • Policy
  • Technology
  • Value-Based Care

Dr Karen DeSalvo on Sharing and Protecting Medical Information

Video

Karen DeSalvo, MD, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, said that while patients expect their medical records to be confidential, they are open to information sharing so long as it leads to improvements in their health or the health of others. Moreover, as Dr DeSalvo reveals, many patients expect their medical records to be digitized.

Karen DeSalvo, MD, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, said that while patients expect their medical records to be confidential, they are open to information sharing so long as it leads to improvements in their health or the health of others. Moreover, as Dr DeSalvo reveals, many patients expect their medical records to be digitized.

“It means our responsibility, then, is that as health IT, whether we’re government, vendors, or providers, is to do everything we can to fulfill that vision for them…but only when and where they need it.”

Dr DeSalvo goes on to discuss a security risk assessment tool currently being offered by the ONC to providers which is meant to raise awareness of patients’ expectations and knowledge of appropriate usage of electronic health records.

Related Videos
Adam Brufsky, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Enrique Velazquez Villarreal, MD, PhD, MPH, MS, assistant professor in the department of integrative translational sciences at City of Hope
Dr Marco Del Riccio
Dr Steven Manobianco
Dr David Kuter
Roy Mathew, MD, screenshot
Dr Marco del Riccio
Peter Voorhees, MD, Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute
Related Content
© 2026 MJH Life Sciences
AJMC®
All rights reserved.