Medical Privacy Laws -- Do You Agree?

[Marseeya]

How do you feel about the medical privacy laws and how they are enacted? Do you agree with them?

For example, doctors offices have to shut the window between the reception area and the waiting room. Do you think this is necessary? I was talking to a drug rep once and she was sitting in one of the waiting rooms and there was an elderly man sleeping. Turned out, he wasn't sleeping -- he was dead. The staff didn't realize it because their window was shut all the time. Could he have possibly been saved if he'd had a heart attack and someone knew of it right when it happened?

Another example is kids. My son is 14 and he had to give permission for me to know about his care at his new mental health provider. Even the meds. When I was questioning the common sense in this, the psychologist told me that it's usually not a problem and that it's meant to protect the kids with abusive parents. Well, hello! What about the majority of the parents who are caring and responsible??? I am legally responsible for my child's welfare and for him to be able to say I have no right to know about his care (especially psychiatric meds!) is total insanity. Granted, I don't think a parent should have to know everything that's said to a therapist unless the child's life or another person's life is in danger, but meds?

What about teenage girls who go in for an abortion? The provider cannot inform the parents if the child asks them not to. Do you think this is right?

How about privacy between spouses? Do you think you have an absolute right to know about your spouse's medical care?

Can you think of any other examples that make you for or against the laws?

 

[mrsltg]

I think that anything said to a doctor by a child should be kept in confidence (EXCEPT in life threatening situations) once a kid is 12 or 13. Obviously if the parents are abusive then you are dealing with another issue entirely and the doctor is obligated to report it.

I don't think that any medication should be prescribed without the parents' consent. If the school can't give a Tylenol and a hospital can't treat a child then the parents should have to consent to prescription medication, as well.

Erin

 

[poohandwendy]

For example, doctors offices have to shut the window between the reception area and the waiting room. Do you think this is necessary? I was talking to a drug rep once and she was sitting in one of the waiting rooms and there was an elderly man sleeping. Turned out, he wasn't sleeping -- he was dead. The staff didn't realize it because their window was shut all the time. Could he have possibly been saved if he'd had a heart attack and someone knew of it right when it happened?

I have never heard of this 'law'. I have been to many doctors offices that do not have a window to shut between the office area and the waiting room.

 

[Charade]

I have never heard of this 'law'. I have been to many doctors offices that do not have a window to shut between the office area and the waiting room.

I haven't either. My doctors office doesn't have a window between the office area and the waiting area. Just a counter.

 

[poohandwendy]

What about teenage girls who go in for an abortion? The provider cannot inform the parents if the child asks them not to. Do you think this is right?

It goes WAY further than that. A doctor is not allowed to tell her parents ANYTHING regarding her sexual health. Period. A 10 year old could ask for Bcps and the doctor is not allowed to inform her parents.

To be honest, YES I agree with it. There are far too many parents who are not willing to bend when it comes to contraceptives and refuse to have an open and honest relationship about these things.

If you are NOT one of those parents, what is the problem with telling your child you want to have access to their medical records and asking them to sign for it? That should not be a problem if you have a decent parent/child relationship.

 

[goofygirl]

I work in healthcare, and from what I've seen, HIPPA is a big joke.

It has done nothing except create more paperwork. Patients have to sign these HIPPA forms that they don't even understand. Its all in legal terms.

And a lot of times, walls are so thin in medical office buildings that you can hear the entire doctor-patient conversation from the exam room next door. "Privacy" my foot!

And in hospitals, you see doctors discussing patient info in the halls, cafeterias, elevators, etc..

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have never heard of this 'law'. I have been to many doctors offices that do not have a window to shut between the office area and the waiting room.

It's called HIPPA.

Some of gone to extraordinary measures to protect patient privacy!

I think sometimes it is like they have installed eggshell carpet or something.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

When i was a freshman in college (I am now a junior) I had to have emergency surgery so I wouldn't bleed to death. My school was in Indiana, my parents were in Massachusetts and my boyfriend was with me at the hospital.
My mother called to get an update and could not get any information because I was 18. My mother was petrified that her daughter was 20 hours away and she did not even know whether I was alive or not.
So I signed a Healthcare Proxy that allows my parents to receive any information regarding my medical care despite me being over 18. I am incredibly open with my parents because of my surgery and illness so the proxy really helps them and me feel more comfortable when I am so far away.

 

[Marseeya]

I have never heard of this 'law'. I have been to many doctors offices that do not have a window to shut between the office area and the waiting room.

I'm just a few miles south of you in Greene Co. and it's in all our doctors' offices! Although come to think of it, not the dentist. They have signs up on the window stating that it's because of HIPPA laws.

 

[Marseeya]

I work in healthcare, and from what I've seen, HIPPA is a big joke.

It has done nothing except create more paperwork. Patients have to sign these HIPPA forms that they don't even understand. Its all in legal terms.

And a lot of times, walls are so thin in medical office buildings that you can hear the entire doctor-patient conversation from the exam room next door. "Privacy" my foot!

And in hospitals, you see doctors discussing patient info in the halls, cafeterias, elevators, etc..

I know! They actually gave my son the HIPPA form and told him they were his rights, but never did anything to explain them to him. That is so WRONG.

 

[Marseeya]

I edited my OP to add a question that I just thought of:

How about privacy between spouses? Do you think you have an absolute right to know about your spouse's medical care?

 

[Just2554]

I think that even children and teenagers should be allowed confidences in the doctor's office. Unless the situation is life-threatening or serious, I think that the doctors should be forced to keep the child/teenager's statements in confidences.

As far as the birth control/abortion thing goes: teenagers have rights too. If they don't want their parents to know they are sexually active, etc., then they shouldn't have to tell them. I knew far too many people in high school who were having unsafe sex/drunken sex, etc. because they didn't want to go on birth control and have their parents find out. So better safe than sorry, imo. As far as the abortion thing...well I feel that that's a personal decision and it shouldn't be up to anyone except the two people involved.

If you really want your children to tell you things and whatnot, have an open relationship with them and when they fill out the HIPPA paperwork, have them write your name down under the space that says : 'In case of emergency, who can we release your information to?' I have always put my parents names for this, especially since I turned 18. I put my boyfriend's name on there as well, he's with me more than anyone.

 

[poohandwendy]

It's called HIPPA.

Some of gone to extraordinary measures to protect patient privacy!

I think sometimes it is like they have installed eggshell carpet or something.

Thanks, I know what HIPPA is. I just mean that I have never heard of that particular rule and have been in many doctors offices that do not have a window between the office area and waiting room. I have seen some that do, some that don't. That's all.

 

[poohandwendy]

How about privacy between spouses? Do you think you have an absolute right to know about your spouse's medical care?

Not necessarily. But, again...it goes back to having honest relationships. It doesn't worry me because I am confident about my relationships with my spouse and my kids. If they really feel the need to keep info from me, then they have that right.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

FYI... it is HIPAA not HIPPA. Health Care Portability and Accountability Act.

 

[ReadingBelle]

I agree with the OP that it is important for a parent to know what medication is being prescribed for their child. A 14 year old may need reminders about what to take and when, and if the parents don't know they can't help. That the doctor says it is to protect the child from abuse makes very little sense. Most parents are not abusive, and anyway, the pyschiatrist is obligated to report child abuse if a client reveals it. I would think that would be enough to protect the child's interests.

As far as spouses go, I guess I don't feel that I have a right to know everything regarding my husband's medical care. At the same time, I would be very upset if I found out that he was keeping something about his health from me. We married because we wanted to be "on the same team," and that includes knowing what is going on with the other person.

 

[LoveWDW]

Something I do like is the forms that you sign in on and they can remove the strip that has your name on it. I felt it was a privacy issue for me to have my name clearly visible on a specialist's reception desk for all patients to see- and it was obvious for the reason for my visit since it was a specialist. This way you sign in and the name is removed from the sight of other patients.

 

[Marseeya]

Something I do like is the forms that you sign in on and they can remove the strip that has your name on it. I felt it was a privacy issue for me to have my name clearly visible on a specialist's reception desk for all patients to see- and it was obvious for the reason for my visit since it was a specialist. This way you sign in and the name is removed from the sight of other patients.

Yes, it's funny, but at my family doctor they keep the window shut, but the sign in sheet is there for all to read.

 

[Marseeya]

As far as the birth control/abortion thing goes: teenagers have rights too. If they don't want their parents to know they are sexually active, etc., then they shouldn't have to tell them. I knew far too many people in high school who were having unsafe sex/drunken sex, etc. because they didn't want to go on birth control and have their parents find out. So better safe than sorry, imo. As far as the abortion thing...well I feel that that's a personal decision and it shouldn't be up to anyone except the two people involved.

If you really want your children to tell you things and whatnot, have an open relationship with them and when they fill out the HIPPA paperwork, have them write your name down under the space that says : 'In case of emergency, who can we release your information to?' I have always put my parents names for this, especially since I turned 18. I put my boyfriend's name on there as well, he's with me more than anyone.

Regarding your last statement about open relationships with kids, have you ever been a parent to a child with mental health problems? It's not that simple. My son is bipolar, depressed, ADHD, & ODD. He doesn't always know what's best for himself, so it's MY responsibility to make sure he's getting proper care. Even if he was perfectly 100% mentally healthy, how can a 14 year old have enough maturity to handle prescription meds? So, if he gets a bug up his butt and decides to keep his medical care from me, there's nothing I can do. But then what happens if he O/Ds on his meds? Or he's on something that he can't take with something else and I don't know about it? Who's responsible?

Me.

As for the abortion thing, I'm a little iffy about that. I understand the privacy, but this is a medical procedure. What if something goes horribly wrong for my DD after one? It's not really a big issue with me, because the two of us have a vastly different relationship than the one I have with my son. But I still don't necessarily agree that a child should be able to have a medical procedure without her parents' knowledge (note, I didn't say consent).

 

[Marseeya]

As far as spouses go, I guess I don't feel that I have a right to know everything regarding my husband's medical care. At the same time, I would be very upset if I found out that he was keeping something about his health from me. We married because we wanted to be "on the same team," and that includes knowing what is going on with the other person.

Can you imagine a situation where a spouse kept a serious medical problem from their partner and then died from it? It's not like it wouldn't have an impact -- even a financial one! I'm just glad that, like you, my DH and I are on the same page with that.