Medical Privacy
Classroom Activity
In the news there has been a number of stories concerning medical privacy abuses:
A dozen Medicaid clerks sold individual profiles from the state's computerized databases to HMO recruiters. The recruiters used this information to target potential customers.
A man's admission to his doctor of youthful experimentation with marijuana was entered into his computerized records, and later used as an excuse by his insurance company for denying him medical benefits.
As hospitals race to computerize their files, doctors are beginning to question how much information should be placed on a person's computerized medical file.
Some doctors are taking the approach of censoring themselves. Insurance companies tend to want the entire medical record of a patient. Therefore some doctors are purposely omitting sensitive information on their patients' charts and keeping this information separately. The doctors feel that this approach protects the doctor-patient relationship.
Discussion Questions:
Do you agree or disagree with the doctors' approach?
What are some of the dangers of not including vital information on a patient's medical history chart ?
Many large businesses are becoming self-insured, assumming the risk of covering their employees' health costs. Do you feel that the companies have the right to view the medical records?