Confidentiality - Does what I say only stay with you?

[spenac]

Confidentiality. Is our report really confidential? Think about it. A patient is a victim of a crime. In your exam you ask before I give you any meds I need to know all drugs legal or other you have taken recently. You also ask about alchol use. Patient has already been through the ringer. Multiple trauma, besides the mental stress. Patient asks is this just between us. The answer is yes but no. You let them know that you have to let hospital know. Also you should let them know that in court the attacker's lawyer will request all documents. So really no it's not just between you and me. By telling the patient all this they may choose to lie to you and risk harm from our meds. Or if they admit use of drugs or alchol, they are then going to be victimized a second time in court, defense lawyer spinning it to sound like they were out of their mind and caused the event. Shouldn't some info actually be confidential?

Recently involved in situation where when exited the patient compartment a person representing the attacker approached and demanded the lab results and what the victim said. Of course told him no and that I could not discuss any patient info, he then said it's alright I'll get it when I file for it at the court. This victim told us a bunch, now all that info will be used against them, with what we were told it will be easy to twist things and victimize patient again. Patients actions did not justify the attack, but a good defense lawyer will make it look like attacker is an angel when in reality attacker needs to be......use your imagination. This just sucks. There is no confidentiality. Shouldn't some info truly be just between care giver and patient? Sorry to rant. Your input, advice, additional complaining, welcomed.

Thank You. Rant off for a little while.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Hey Y'all, guess what Spenac just told me. he said a bunch of stuff about his patient. and then he said this and then that.

Of course it's confidential until court and then it's all out in the open. It's sad but when we can't even begin to shield the rape victims or victims of violent crime, then how can we expect to keep their medical records private.

You left one group off your list of who sees the medical record -- insurance companies.

[WendyT]

Tell me about it, I've already been through the ringer, hated the other side because truly what I've done since the car accident in 2002, why do they needed to know more that had nothing to do with the bloody flippin accident in the first place.

:evil:

[ericenglund]

Well say, for example, some person under the influence of (insert drug here) decides they want attention/revenge/ or any other reason and decide they want to go accuse their ex-significant other of raping or assualting them them or what not.

If you were the ex, would you not want to show to the court that the person was out of their mind and possibly not a credible historian?

Just me looking at it from the other side.

[spenac]

Regardless of what the patient did in case that sent me into rant, no justification for the brutality of attack. But again information required for proper treatment that had to be provided to hospital will now be used by attacker to blur the truth and will probably walk or get a easy deal from prosecutors who will know what is coming. Sucks we should be able to legally leave out the info or black out all info except what shows the extent of injurys. It is no wonder so many victims choose to not report or not file charges allowing the attacker to hurt someone worse next time.

[emtgal40222]

I completely agree with you all, both sides. The sad part is that if the attacker is not caught right away there will not be a way to test them for drugs, alcohol, etc. Then victims can say "well I smelled alcohol on their breath" or "they were acting like they were on something" and be shot down because the attacker can deny it. Sometimes our justice system s***s, but I agree that we should be able to black out info like that!

[TechMedic05]

I agree we shouldn't talk about it, but...well, I can't talk about that here.

"...I think a Hippapotomous just walked by..."

8) 8)

[Sdowler]

What I have noticed is the recent trend toward electronic run reporting and the questions being asked. The NH TEMSIS system is a copy of a model in use by many systems and one of the questions that will cause a "kick back" is the SSN. Several other questions arise with billing info beeing sent to people who have access at the admin companies or the IT guy at some large services such as AMR, Rural/Metro or whatever.

Secondly If you transport more than one pt is that a violation?

Third Hall beds have no privacy.