Brownback proposes medical record banks

Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced legislation that would encourage the formation of a national health information network by creating non-profit cooperative banks where medical records would be stored. Supporters say the Independent Health Record Bank Act would make healthcare more efficient by centralizing records and also introduce a needed element of neutrality. Under Brownback's legislation, consumers would have the final say over what is done with their medical records. The proposal also encourages the commercialization of patient data on a blinded basis, offering incentives to consumers who consent to the sale of their data for research. The legislation has the strong support of Kansas City based Cerner, where CEO Neal Patterson has said he wants to get involved as a broker in data sales.

- see this article from the Kansas City Star