Flickr user Kārlis Dambrāns

Why You Can’t Share Your Health Records With a Tap of Your Phone--Yet

The key issue is security.

With more interoperable health information systems, patients ought to be able to transfer their records from one place to the next with a single tap of their phones.

But chances are your health system isn't equipped to let you do that yet. That’s why the Health and Human Services Department is seeking ideas for systems that could let consumers choose to move their health data wherever they want — and to do so seamlessly.

With health systems gathering vast amounts of personal information on patients, however, the big impediment to such data-sharing initiatives is security. Download this special report to see how federal agencies are addressing that issue.

Special Report: Electronic Health Systems

Photo: Flickr user Kārlis Dambrāns