Australian patient records exempt from privacy law.

AuthorSwartz, Nikki
PositionUP FRONT: News, Trends & Analysis - Brief Article

Australian doctors who suspect patients of "doctor hopping" for prescription medications will be able to see all patient medical records without patient consent. The new Prescription Shopping Information Service has been exempted from national privacy laws to crack down on patients visiting several doctors to gain access to multiple prescriptions for the same ailment.

The service is a response to research by the Health Insurance Commission, which discovered that more than 22,000 Australians were visiting at least 10 doctors annually to obtain prescriptions for painkillers and tranquilizers.

Australian Privacy Commissioner Karen Curtis said the service does not violate...

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