Paradoxically, clinical automation is making medical identity theft worse. As your information is being exchanged between more and more healthcare organizations, more and more of your personal identifying data is being shared with an expanding set of healthcare workers. Not only does this increase the risk that one of them might steal your information, it also increases the risk that someone else might inappropriately intercept your data and misuse it. Medical identity theft is the fastest growing form of identity theft in the United States.
What does GPII offer?
The GPII system dramatically reduces the risk of identity theft. Your <prTag> can be used in lieu of your identifying information - this is particularly important when information is being transmitted. The <prTag> may be at risk (although it can be encrypted) but your identifying information can stay safe at home. The basic theory is to put your identifier at risk rather than your identity.
If your <prTag> is stolen, GPII offers services to readily replace it. There also are mechanisms to invalidate your previous <prTag>. This ensures the old <prTag> has no value to the perpetrator and that you can safely continue your life. This is every similar to the replacement of a credit card that has been stolen.
Conversely, if your identity is stolen that is an entirely different problem and it may never be possible to fully recover.