Washington, DC - As Congress moves rapidly to build a national electronic health system, a coalition of 26 organizations representing constituencies across the political and ideological spectrum will urge the U.S. House of Representatives to build a patient-centered system with patient privacy rights at the core of any national HIT legislation.

WHAT:

Press Conference to Announce Coalition and Congressional Letter of Support

WHO:

Representatives of foundations and advocacy groups, including Family Research Council, American Civil Liberties Union, Free Congress Foundation, Electronic Privacy Information Center and Patient Privacy Rights

Also in attendance will be U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy

WHERE:

Cannon Terrace (outside the entrance of the Cannon House Office Building, at the corner of Independence and New Jersey Avenue)

WHEN:

Wednesday, April 5, 2006
10:30 a.m.

About Patient Privacy Rights/

Patient Privacy Rights is a national consumer watchdog organization based in Austin, TX. The mission of Patient Privacy Rights is to empower Americans to protect and preserve their human rights to medical privacy. Patient Privacy Rights believes Americans should have the right to decide who can see and use their medical records and is educating Americans about threats to patient privacy. They have launched an online petition for Americans to tell Congress "I Want My Medical Privacy".

Web site: patientprivacyrights

"I Want My Medical Privacy" Petition:

patientprivacyrights/petition