Looking at E-Health IT from the Bottom of the Paradigm

My current e-Health record as an e-Older American is not found in a single location but rather parts of it are enmeshed in many systems. Some of these systems are intentionally connected while others are unintentionally connected. At any rate, I look at the systems from the perspective of comparing the information that I provide (either answers to questions or lab results) with the information (or benefits) that I in turn receive.


Systems containing my personal health information include:

• Epic - my primary physician is a University of Wisconsin family practitioner


• Epic - the system used by Meriter Hospital (my choice if needed)


• Medco - the payer for my prescriptions through Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) and Walgreens Pharmacy


• Medicare


• WPS Supplemental Insurance


• Dental Health Associates (new system which I believe might be Epic)


• Social Assistance Management System (SAMS) -for which I am the volunteer data entry operator for the McFarland Senior Outreach Program

It is the last system, SAMS that concerns me. Since August 2007, I have volunteered to be the data entry operator for the McFarland (Wisconsin) Senior Outreach Program. During my tenure as a volunteer, I have observed, documented, and reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA), the Wisconsin State Unit on Aging (SUA), the Dane County Area Agency on Aging (AAA), the federal Administration on Aging (AoA) and Harmony Inc. (the vendor) that the Social Assistance Management System has potential systemic privacy and security vulnerabilities.