Untitled Document

Press Office

September 1999

McDermott calls for higher standards of medical privacy

McDermott announces grant for new crime-fighting tool

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPT. 15, 1999

McDermott calls for higher standards of medical privacy

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) today reintroduced legislation that calls for higher standards for medical privacy. It specifically addresses medical records developed through new kinds of medical technologies.

Titled the "Medical Privacy in the Age of New Technologies Act of 1999," McDermott's proposal would ensure strong protections for the confidentiality of patient health information and takes into account the threats to privacy created by two emerging technologies: genetic technology and the computerization of medical records.

The Medical Privacy in the Age of New Technologies Act would ensure the privacy of all medical records. McDermott said his bill, "addresses the changes that technology is introducing into our medical system." He continued, "For the first time, patients nationwide will have control of their medical records and have the right to deny outsiders access to patients' private medical information."

Emphasizing the need for high privacy standards which address new technologies, particularly advances in genetic health information, McDermott stated, "Genetic health information is an especially sensitive part of a patient's medical record. As knowledge increases about the genetic component of many common diseases, so does the possibility that information in people's medical files will be used to deny entire families health care coverage." He said, "Congress must put the rights of the patient first, before the concerns of the people who stand to profit from the health information explosion."

McDermott also stressed the importance of medical privacy standards which adapt to emerging computer technologies. "Computers have revolutionized the way an individual's medical information is collected, stored, and disseminated. Without adequate enforceable standards, this information can easily be misused to breach the privacy rights of patients and lead to several forms of discrimination."

"New technologies have the potential to improve the quality of health care, to help doctors effectively treat their patients, and to lower the cost of health care," McDermott said. "But strong medical record privacy protections must be in place to ensure that such technologies are not misused to discriminate against patients and their families If we don't sufficiently address the issue of privacy and medical records, we may inadvertently drive people away from seeking health care and undermine the nation's efforts to improve the health of people in this country."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPT. 21, 1999

McDermott announces grant for new crime-fighting tool

An innovative approach to community and neighborhood safety will be financed in Seattle by a grant from the Justice Department, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, (D-WA.), said today in announcing the award.

Seattle was chosen from among four cities to begin a pilot program called the COMPASS Initiative. (Compass stands for Community Mapping, Planning and Analysis for Safety Strategies.) The grant will include $1 million initially, plus additional awards for the next three years.

The Clinton Administration has earmarked $30 million for similar programs in other cities in the next fiscal year.

Seattle was awarded the grant in a competition with Denver, Baltimore and San Diego. Seattle representatives traveled to Washington, D.C., to present their proposal.

"We know that we can't stop crime, and make neighborhoods completely safe, just by building more prisons and putting more people in jail," Rep. McDermott said. "This new approach will allow us to look at all the elements of community safety, from crime patterns, to housing patterns to school attendance. It will be evaluated by skilled researchers. Seattle officials and Mayor Paul Schell are to be congratulated for their skill in putting this grant application together; its results could make a better community for all of us."

COMPASS will use new computer tools to put together a database from a broad array of agencies. It is designed to give police and other community officials access to a great deal more information as they design crime-fighting and other neighborhood-improvement strategies.

The program is modeled on a computer-mapping program developed at Harvard University and first applied to analyze and combat youth violence in Boston. The Seattle program is a new step in the process and will involve more kinds of information about city neighborhoods.