The Protection of the Patient’s Private Life: the Computer Challenge Second part (Footnote

The First part “The Protection of the patient’s Private Life/a Vast Normative Landscape” has been published in the previous issue, Acta Chirurgica Belgica 2002, 102, 5: 282–288.

)

References

• This first analysis was published as “The protection of the patient’s private life: a vast normative landscape” in the previous issue of this journal. It is referred to as “Part One” in the rest of this Article.
   Google Scholar
• Also see Michel L. Secret médical et dossier informatisé. Louvain Méd, 2001; 120: S125–S132.
   Google Scholar
• Van Thuyne D. Intervention at the AMA-UCL Symposium, 24 May 2001.
   Google Scholar
• van de Vloed O. (dir.). Fonctions du dossier médical informatisé du médecin généraliste. Website of the EMDMI (Elektronisch Medisch Dossier Médical Informatisé), http://www.health.fgov. be/EMDMI/fr/textes/consensus/fonctdossmed.htm.
   Google Scholar
• Heyerick J.P. Données personnelles en matière de santé. Website of the EMDMI, http://www.health.fgov.be/EMDMI/fr/textes/discussion/discuss002.htm.
   Google Scholar
• Woodward B. The computer-based patient record and confidentiality. New Engl J Med, 1995; 333: 1419.
   Google Scholar
• Projet de loi portant des dispositions sociales, Exposé des motifs. Doc. pari, Ch. représ., sess. ord. 1997–1998, n° 1722/1: 31.
   Google Scholar
• Projet de loi portant des dispositions sociales, Exposé des motifs. Doc. parl, Ch. représ., sess. ord. 1997–1998, n° 1722/1: 31.
   Google Scholar
• Woodward B. Op. cit.: 1420.
   Google Scholar
• Projet de loi portant des dispositions sociales, Exposé des motifs. Op. cit.: 31.
   Google Scholar
• Woodward B. Op. cit.: 1420–1421.
   Google Scholar
• Ibid.: 1421.
   Google Scholar
• Ibid.: 1421.
   Google Scholar
• Official Journal of the European Communities, n° L281 of 23rd November 1995.
   Google Scholar
• Moniteur belge, 18 March 1993.
   Google Scholar
• Similar provisions have been adopted in the legal orders of neighbouring countries. On 6 January 1978, France, for instance, had already adopted Act 78–17 on automatic data processing, files and freedoms. (known as “loi informatique et libertés”). For lack of space, these texts cannot be examined in this Article.
   Google Scholar
• Loi du 11 décembre 1998 transposant la directive 95/46/CE du 24 octobre 1995 du Parlement européen et du Conseil relative à la protection des personnes physiques à l’égard du traitement des données à caractère personnel et à la libre circulation de ces données. Moniteur belge, 3 February 1999.
   Google Scholar
• The non-automated processing of personal data is also concerned, provided, though, that these data are contained or likely to appear in a file (art. 3, § 1). The notion of “file” is defined in article 1, § 3. In this way the field of application of the Act is similar to that of Directive 95/46/CE but larger than that of the Convention of the Council of Europe, which only deals with automated data processing.
   Google Scholar
• There are exceptions to the rule. The processing need not be carried out under such responsibility when the person whose data are being processed gives written consent to it or when the processing is necessary in order to avoid a concrete danger or to suppress a given penal crime (art. 7, § 4). The supervision of a health care professional seems imperative in all cases set forth in above-mentioned Article 7, § 2, j., insofar as, mentioned in article 7, § 2, j. and not in article 7, § 4, this supervision is part of the definition of the situation in which no interdiction applies.
   Google Scholar
• These conditions are set forth in articles 25 to 27 of the Royal Decree of 13 February 2001 implementing the Act of 8 December 1992 on the protection of private life with regards to the processing of personal data. (Arrêté royal du 13 février 2001 portant exécution de la loi du 8 décembre 1992 relative à la protection de la vie privée à l’égard des traitements de données à caractère personnel) (Moniteur belge, 13 March 2001).
   Google Scholar
• Loi du 25 janvier 1999 portant des dispositions sociales (Moniteur belge, 6 February 1999), article 176.
   Google Scholar
• Moniteur belge, 30 July 1999.
   Google Scholar
• A.R. du 3 mai 1999 portant création d’une Commission «Normes en matière de télématique au service du secteur des soins de santé». Moniteur belge, 30 July 1999.
   Google Scholar
• Moniteur belge, 30 July 1999.
   Google Scholar
• See, among others, opinions of 16 April 1994, 22 April 1995, 12 December 1998 and 20 February 1999.
   Google Scholar
• See Part One “III. The right to the respect of private life: provisions to differentiated”, “The time of elaboration of the provisions”.
   Google Scholar
• See Part One “III. The right to the respect of private life: provisions to differentiated”, “The author of the provisions”.
   Google Scholar
• These reliability standards are a sign of a today widespread tendency to make cryptology, the traditional science of secrecy, into a real “science of trust”; guaranteeing confidentiality is no longer enough; this guarantee has to be recognised as credible.
   Google Scholar
• In Belgium, the Act of 8 December 1992 goes so far as to create a new obligation for confidentiality, with possible penal sanctions, rather than referring to an existing obligation. (Projet de loi transposant la directive du 25 octobre 1995 du Parlement européen et du Conseil relative à la protection des personnes physiques à l’égard du traitement des données à caractère personnel et à la libre circulation de ces données, Exposé des motifs. Doc. parl., Ch. représ., sess. ord. 1997–1998, n° 1566/1: 39).
   Google Scholar