The Health IT Policy Committee's privacy and security workgroup has recommended that healthcare providers encrypt patient data even in direct exchanges with other providers and in cases not facilitated by third-party organizations, Healthcare IT News reports. At its May 19 meeting, the workgroup proposed policies for encryption, identity verification and usable personal information, the report states. The workgroup took the perspective of what a "reasonable patient would expect," said Deven McGraw, the panel's co-chair. "If strong policies...are in place and enforced, we don't think this scenario needs any additional individual consent beyond what is already required by current law."  
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