Suzanne Batchelor

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I've reported for Ms. magazine, The Texas Observer, the Women’s eNews news service, The Austin Bulldog, Wired.com's Assignment Zero, Medscape, CBS Healthwatch, and WebMD. I'm an independent writer and editor based in Austin, Texas. My radio programs on science topics have been broadcast on the public-radio series "Earth and Sky," and my audio series on health by the Texas Medical Association.

Articles

Hospital patient privacy sacrificed as state agency sells or gives away data

<p>Data security experts have discredited de-identification as a privacy method for medical records and other personal information, but the Texas health department (Texas Department of State Health Services) has sold and given away Texas hospital-patient data since 1999 using de-identification. The agency even sells exact patient data, including date of birth, to those passing a committee review of their "research project." Such data is not restricted to university or healthcare center researchers.&nbsp;</p>