Health records privacy

A

Aurora

Member
Location
midwest USA
Are you concerned that all your health records, physical and/or mental,
are available and accessed by medical staff at the hospital you attend
and other doctor offices? I dont know how it is in other nations
or states.
That means every doctor, nurse, medical assistant, other staff
and maybe secretaries making appointments can know everything
about you, even what antidepressants you take and any secret.
Including insurance companies.

This is not right to me and I am thinking of changing hospitals.
I dont trust them.
 

My records are set up on a network of medical people and places. It does not bother me,
I think it is an advantage to my health care and that overrides the privacy issue, just my opinion.
 
I think many in the medical field can access my health records, I don't think there's anything that can be done about that, so I don't let it bother me.
 

The HIPAA laws are supposed to protect patient records. From what I have seen, medical personnel have

the fear-of-God drummed into them, by the HIPAA provisions.
 
tnthomas said:
The HIPAA laws are supposed to protect patient records. From what I have seen, medical personnel have

the fear-of-God drummed into them, by the HIPAA provisions.
Click to expand...
You are right about that Thomas. I worked as a collections specialist for many years and its the first thing you are taught and about the consequences of violating. Being in collections we were especially counseled as many family members were not on a patient's record to release information. That was the first thing we checked when called about a patient's account. Many wives and husbands did not understand that we could not discuss even a patient's financial responsibility for a claim if they were not on the patient's record. I make sure when updating my own records with doctors and hospitals that only my daughters have the right to see and discuss my medical records and financial records with them. We were all terrified of Hippa.
 
I think it depends on the hospital system, location and doctors. I had to pick someone up at the hospital recently and they were told it wasn't worth holding them through the weekend because of the lack of non essential specialists and access to their specialist's records. They were actively seeing other dr's along with their GP.

Electronic records make things tricky and only as good as their last entry in that database. They said the hospital had an old prescription list from their last hospital visit, not last doctors visit. Patients should know that anyway or carry a prescription list on them with dates and doctors. One should have to give permission to have their records put into one all encompassing data base.
 
There is something called "Implied consent". Meaning that other health care workers have access to records immediately needed for your care. BUT, my understanding is, if you are in the hospital for an extended stay for, say, surgery, you have consented to have nurses know what medications you are on, so you can get them. But, if you have a mental health history, they do not need to know that if you are not being given medications for that condition.
If a hospital worker is not DIRECTLY involved in your care, they do not have consent to see your records.
 
I don't see any reason to worry about medical personnel having access to my medical records. I think this is pretty much true in any medical facility, and is very beneficial in time saving in general, and can be life saving in an emergency situation where they absolutely need to know what medications you are taking, etc., in order to treat you properly and not make you worse. If you come in unconscious, they'd be flying blind if they couldn't access them.

My sister, for instance recently was taken to the hospital by ambulance semiconscious for a possible heart attack -- she has several medical problems and takes multiple medications. The fact that they could access her history and medications saved her life -- really.
 
I am totally in favor of Having Medical Records updated frequently and made available to All doctors and hospitals. If a person gets ill or has an accident while away from home, having access to a patient's Full History could easily make the difference between life and death. Individual "Privacy" is little more than a myth, anymore, so it would only make sense to have this data quickly and easily available to Medical personnel. I can't imagine What would be so "Private" that it shouldn't be available to doctors and hospitals...even ambulance drivers and EMT's.
 
Doesn't bother me at all, worked in healthcare for 30+ years. In fact, I'm glad, if something happens and folks need that info, it's readily available.
Out here, have read time and time again of employees being fired for snooping. One recently was an RN who looked at her husband's X-rays he had done. Though it was ok with the husband, it was a big NO NO.
 

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