Electronic Medical Records: Will Your Privacy Be Safe?

[User]

Doctors are supposed to be nosy. It's not just that they examine your naked body inside and out and record all its imperfections. Physicians are trained to peer into your life, past and present, and ask all sorts of sensitive, if not uncomfortable, questions. Have you ever used marijuana? How about steroids? How many sexual partners? Ever had a sexually transmitted disease? An abortion? Had sex with the same sex? How much do you smoke or drink? Have you used Botox or had plastic surgery? Have you been depressed or been treated for mental illness? And how about your marriage—or marriages?

You get the gist; the experience is intrusive. But the doctor-patient relationship was never meant to be other than confidential and privileged and solely for the benefit of the patient.......

the complete article can be found using the links below




News Hawk: User: http://www.420magazine.com/
Source: U.S. News.com
Author: Bernadine Healy, M.D.
Copyright: 2009 U.S.News & World Report LP
Contact: U.S. News & World Report: Home: Contact Us
Website: Electronic Medical Records: Will Your Privacy Be Safe? - Heart to Heart (usnews.com)

[darkrail]

I've been very concerned about this.

I'm so happy every time I walk into a local weed dispensary! But sadly, if this hits the MMJ world, it's probably back to the dealer for DarkRail.

[User]

a few years back i had a doctor i very much respected and trusted. on day i told him i'd like to discuss something without him writing anything down. he agreed. we had a very long talk about marijuana. he was open minded but not pro. a couple months later he referred me to a specialist and on the way i stopped and picked up my complete med records. as my wife drove i read. a few pages into to it i saw where he had written "patient admits to heavy marijuana use". needless to say that page disappeared from my med records. i will never be honest with a doctor again when it comes to my usage. well, at least not until things have changed. in a legal mmj state with a mmj doctor i would but i'd never let my regular doctor know.

being disabled and receiving ssi my mj usage is also a concern.

anyone know if mmj doctors send reports to your primary doc?

[Cherma]

anyone know if mmj doctors send reports to your primary doc?

I know that my Dr does not.

[Soniq420]

I agree that the only sure way to prevent documentation and unwanted communication is to not reveal the information in the first place.

That said, we all sign "authorization to disclose" forms as part of the paperwork when visiting doctors. This is what authorizes them to bill health insurance or speak to our family about the medical findings (or not depending on how we will the form out).

I recommend reading these forms cover to cover before signing. I've written specific instructions on these forms where I've felt they were too loosely worded. ie. - "under no circumstances is my medical information to be revealed to any party for any reason, including insurance companies; I am a cash patient"

This still might not stop them but could be worth sometime in settlement. My understanding is that breach of confidentiality is a HIPAA violation.

We had a lawyer join last week or so, this would be a great question for him because I'm just spouting my lay understanding