Our government recognized both of these arguments, and signed into law the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996.  The measures outlined in this extensive legislation are beginning to take effect throughout the entire health industry, with mandatory compliance deadlines over the next five years.   These laws control the tracking and access to your health information, requiring every single doctor's office and hospital in the country to manage their charts under guidelines designed to protect the confidentiality of patients.

But how will this be accomplished?  As the March, 2001 cover story about HIPAA in the Family Practice Management Journal states it: "The unmistakable legacy of HIPAA will be to encourage computerization of all personal health information."   The question is not if we will move into an electronic health record, but when and how. 

At Peak Health we are already there.  We have designed our computer systems to maximize our ability to customize your care and provide the most thorough and up-to-date medicine possible.  We invite you to participate in your own health in ways you never could before!