A Medical Student and YOU:Patient Confidentiality
I am putting up a series of excellent discussions about ethical/professional issues that could involve a medical student and you or a family member as a patient. Each discussion as a separate thread is based on the book Professionalism in Medicine : A Case-Based Guide for Medical Students. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press; 2010 and from the website "Professionalism in Medicine" prepared by Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Each issue at the website is begun with a brief vignette, and then a brief video dramatization of the vignette and then followed by perspective commentaries by a medical student and followed by that of a faculty member. First go to the following link, read, view and then return and present the visitors to this thread your own view of the particular professional issue from the perspective of the patient: Commitment to Patient Confidentiality.
A STARTING COMMENT FROM ME:
It's all about the "need to know". Comments about an individual patient's medical or psycho-social condition have to be guarded and away from those individuals who have "NO need to know" where the need is to provide diagnosis, therapy, financial or other specific benefit to the patient unless otherwise specifically requested by the patient. That is why,in the United States, we have the HIPAA regulations which penalizes those who violate the "need to know" dictum.
One could argue that, if the information is unidentifiable regarding any specific patient such release of information is safe. Unfortunately, in these days of mass communication and the internet with search engines, specific patient identification is easier and unidentifiable can be a "wishful thinking" concept. ..Maurice.
One could argue that, if the information is unidentifiable regarding any specific patient such release of information is safe. Unfortunately, in these days of mass communication and the internet with search engines, specific patient identification is easier and unidentifiable can be a "wishful thinking" concept. ..Maurice.
..Maurice.
posted by Maurice Bernstein, M.D. @ 3:05:00 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
It's all about the "need to know". Comments about an individual patient's medical or psycho-social condition have to be guarded and away from those individuals who have "NO need to know" where the need is to provide diagnosis, therapy, financial or other specific benefit to the patient unless otherwise specifically requested by the patient. That is why,in the United States, we have the HIPAA regulations which penalizes those who violate the "need to know" dictum.
One could argue that, if the information is unidentifiable regarding any specific patient such release of information is safe. Unfortunately, in these days of mass communication and the internet with search engines, specific patient identification is easier and unidentifiable can be a "wishful thinking" concept. ..Maurice.
Maurice
In the mid 90's I had high hopes about
HIPAA and then the daunting realization later that
it just dosen't carry the clout that it should to
punish people and institutions. You are most
probably aware that many employees refuse to
be patients at the same hospitals where they work,
sad.
PT
But PT we are teaching patient confidentiality to our first and second year medical students. On their writeups that they present to us for review, the students learn from the first day never to name the patient beyond initials in case the writeup is seen by anyone besides the student and the instructor. In addition, the students specifically state to the patient that what sensitive history is obtained will remain confidential meaning without others identifying the history to that specific patient.
Of course, the students are aware that later in the clerkships, reidency and professional life, sensitive history is communicated to those only with the "need to know".
What I am getting at is that teaching and reminding about confidentiality is an important and standard teaching point which is given to all medical students. ..Maurice.
I strongly agree on this topic i guess its so important for all medical socity
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