MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'confidentiality'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:53:48 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952751&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fblogscan-uk-unencrypted-laptop-health.html From the blog "Australian Health Information Technology":Who Needs Hackers When There Are Accidents Like This? The PCEHR [Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record - ed.] Won’t Avoid Hacker Attention I Suspect. The following popped up a little while ago. By Dom Nicastro Think the United States has its problems with securing patient health information? We’re not alone. London Health Programmes, a medical research organization based at the NHS North Central London health authority, has reported missing an unencrypted laptop containing information of 8.63 million patients and 18 million hospital visits, operations and procedures, according to today’s issue of The Sun. The data does not include names, “but patients could be identified from postcodes and details such as gender, a... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952751 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:55:00 +0100 4952751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775351&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fperils-of-physicians-practicing-as.html A seriously chilling cautionary tale corroborated some of my previously expressed fears about the perils of physicians practicing as corporate employees.  It unlikely venue was the April 25, 2011 issue of Medical Economics.  The article, not yet on the web, was "Selling to a Corporation Poses Challenges," by Todd R C Neely.Here is how the case started:A start-up company with a new medical treatment became a publicly traded corporation. The company's top managers were not physicians; they were finance and business experts familiar with the ways of Wall Street.To meet the corporation's goals and Wall Street expectations, the company used stock sale proceeds to aggressively market itself to doctors and buy established physician practices around the country. It quickly captured ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775351 Mon, 02 May 2011 19:54:00 +0100 4775351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605791&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fmedical-data-breach-of-month-department.html I have written frequently about the breaches of electronic information security, such as at my posts:"Networked EMR's and Healthcare Information Security: Practical When Massive IT Security Breaches Continue?""Networked, Interoperable, Secure National Medical Records a Castle in the Sky?""Operation Aurora And a Widespread Reluctance to Discuss IT Flaws: Is Universal Healthcare IT Really a Good Idea in 2010?"Medical data breach of the week - but your EMR data is secure, trust us, we're IT experts and others.This latest medical information breach only affected a mere 2 million people this time.Perhaps we should go for 20 million next time?And then - there were substantial delays in notification (to give identity thieves time to get rich?)Health Net Delays Notification of Data Breach Involvin... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605791 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:12:00 +0100 4605791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477669&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fyou-cant-say-that-non-disparagement.html Here is another example of why health care organizations' leaders are different from you and me, and why that may not be a good thing for health care.  A few days ago, the San Jose (California) Mercury News reported on the upcoming departure of a local hospital CEO:El Camino Hospital's handsomely-paid president and CEO Kenneth Graham is out of a job, the hospital announced Thursday afternoon.Graham's contract will end June 30 'without cause, at the request of the hospital's Board of Directors,' according to a statement released to the media.Until then, Graham will continue to fulfill his duties as the hospital's top administrator, according to the statement. Graham has been president and CEO of the hospital for 4½ years.The brief statement did not explain why Graham has been ousted, ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477669 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:21:00 +0100 4477669 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233134&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fvcu-president-raos-previous-code-of.html We recently posted about the code of silence imposed by Virginia Commonwealth University President Stephen Rao on his staff.  It turns out now that this was not his first exercise in imposing a code of silence. Before he was at Virginia Commonwealth University, Rao was President of Central Michigan University.  Central Michigan Life just reported:While serving as CMU president, Rao required all office employees to sign a similar confidentiality agreement stating all names, places, dates or incidents that happened in his office were not to be shared with anyone or discussed outside the office.'I understand that the information and all files, letters, projects, telephone calls and anything relating to the work performed in the President’s Office and in my capacity as an employee ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233134 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 19:27:00 +0100 4233134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214036&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fconfidentiality-clause-or-oath-of.html The advancement of modern scientific medicine depends on the search for and dissemination of truth. Academic medicine, like the rest of academia, ought to be based on openness, transparency, and academic freedom. The 1940 American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure opened with:The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Yet we have written about dark clouds of secrecy spreading over medicine and health care. The increasingly powerful leaders of health care increasingly use opacity and secrecy to keep what they are doing out of the public eye. We have frequently discussed the anechoic effect, how it is just not done to discuss certain topics, particularly those related to the adverse effects ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214036 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:27:00 +0100 4214036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214112&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwikileaks-what-it-means-for-healthcare-privacy%2F2010.11.29 From the official White House statement yesterday regarding WikiLeaks disclosure of diplomatic cables: “By releasing stolen and classified documents, WikiLeaks has put at risk not only the cause of human rights, but also the lives and work of the individuals. We condemn in strongest terms, the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information.” No matter what people think of WikiLeaks disclosure of approximately 250,000 classified diplomatic cables to the Internet yesterday with the help of the New York Times, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde, the implications to electronic healthcare information security are significant. Day in and day out, I type huge volumes of information on my patients on a computer and my fellow physicians ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214112 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 19:00:00 +0100 4214112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183255&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Finsurers-test-data-profiles-to-identify.html Stories like this one today at the WSJ disturb me.“Insurers Test Data Profiles to Identify Risky Clients”Wall Street JournalNov. 19, 2010From that story: Life insurers are testing an intensely personal new use for the vast dossiers of data being amassed about Americans: predicting people’s longevity. Insurers have long used blood and urine tests to assess people’s health—a costly process. Today, however, data-gathering companies have such extensive files on most U.S. consumers—online shopping details, catalog purchases, magazine subscriptions, leisure activities and information from social-networking sites—that some insurers are exploring whether data can reveal nearly as much about a person as a lab analysis of their bodily fluids. In one of the biggest tests, the U.S. arm o... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183255 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:59:00 +0100 4183255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790658&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fstifling-whistle-blowers-old-and-new.html Discussions with my colleagues suggest that the problem is not limited to one pharmaceutical company ....We and many others have frequently discussed the conflicts of interest that may be generated by physicians or health care academics having financial relationships with industry. The Institute of Medicine's definition of conflict of interest (in a health care context) found in its report, Conflict of Interest in Medical Research, Education, and Practice, is:Conflicts of interest are defined as circumstances that create a risk that professional judgments or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest. Primary interests include promoting and protecting the integrity of research, the quality of medical education, and the welfare of patients. Second... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790658 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:55:00 +0100 3790658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790750&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F26%2Flying-on-the-couch%2F What happens when a psychologist writes a memoir? To tell the truth I have to lie. To write a memoir these days you had better be telling the truth. When I met with the publisher about Confessions of a Former Child: A Therapist’s Memoir, she specifically asked me if what I wrote was true. I hesitated, and a worried look crossed her face. Finally, I insisted it was all true, except for the parts I made up. She told me I needed to explain. I told her that in essence, as a psychologist and a memoirist I serve at the discretion of both disciplines — the first devoted to understanding the human condition, the second to the condition of being human. Both employ methods of nonfiction writing to achieve their goal, but with a major difference: A psychologist must follow strict guidelines p... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790750 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:35:52 +0100 3790750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710631&cid=t_106754_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2FVy2PSrTWgMM%2F One of the reasons psychotherapy needs to come under the auspices of the Health Professions Council is due to the lack of a single, statutory register. At present a therapist can be registered with the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), or indeed, no professional body at all. Shockingly, we have learned that a therapist struck off by the BACP was able to stay registered with the UKCP, despite having committed a serious breach of confidentiality. Sandra Black was struck off by the BACP in July 2009 (scroll down to find the relevant case). She had written a story about one of her clients which appeared in a psychotherapy book. Although she changed the name of the client, the details of the case were such that an... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710631 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:35:46 +0100 3710631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671700&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F8-things-you-shouldnt-keep-from-your-doctor%2F2010.06.16 It’s important to have an open relationship with your primary care physician because the more he or she knows about your health and lifestyle, the better able he or she is to diagnose illnesses as they come up. You wouldn’t take your car to a mechanic and not tell him that the brake is sticking, and a human organism is thousands of times more complicated than a car. But patients are shy. They’re embarrassed. They don’t want you to think badly about them, so they often leave out important information that’s critical for the physician to know. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at EverythingHealth* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671700 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3671700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3272946&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F15%2Fwhat-if-i-run-into-my-therapist-in-public%2F Should I hide behind the magazine rack? Duck over to the canned goods aisle? Uh oh, she already saw me! Now what? Do I say hi? Pretend I don’t see her? Whenever we see people out of a familiar setting it can be awkward. The other day I was having dinner with my husband at a restaurant when a very familiar lady walked by and stopped to say hello. I couldn’t remember for the life of me where I had seen her before. My poor brain sifted through the files until finally it reported that she worked at the library where my kids and I go once a week. Whew. Embarrassment averted. Occasionally I run into old or current patients in public, resulting in another kind of challenge. Do I say hello or not? In my dad’s day, there would have been no question. Psychoanalytic thinking was ve... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3272946 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:01:15 +0100 3272946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3246853&cid=t_106754_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F06%2Fdoes-the-experience-of-staff-working-in-the-nhs-link-to-the-patient-experience-of-care-an-analysis-of-links-between-the-2007-acute-trust-inpatient-and-nhs-staff-surveys%2F Title: Does the experience of staff working in the NHS link to the patient experience of care?: An analysis of links between the 2007 acute trust inpatient and NHS staff surveys Skinny: Links the results of the 2007 acute inpatient and staff surveys using a series of statistical analyses intended to highlight the most important relationships between the two surveys. Key findings are: The more staff who have had health and safety training, the better the patient perceptions of greater conscientiousness and availability of staff. Organisations where staff have clear, planned goals are more likely to have patients who report positive experiences of communication; in particular around patients being involved in decisions on care/treatment, family members being able to speak to doctors, the me... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3246853 Sat, 06 Feb 2010 11:34:56 +0100 3246853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231423&cid=t_106754_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F02%2Feducation-for-primary-care-2009-vol-20-no-6%2F Contents Page Fade Fave: Online learning in primary care: the importance of e-professionalism Fade Skinny: Electronic learning for medical professionals has transformed medical education. Medical professionals are increasingly engaging with colleagues and clinicians via instant messaging, social networking sites and podcasts to seek answers to clinical questions or for opinions or discussions on aspects of healthcare as the need arises.  The biggest concern for networking sites and for blogging is confidentiality. The concept of e-professionalism is discussed which includes confidentiality, awareness of online personas, admissions during the postings and student safety decisions. Contact the library for a copy of this article Filed under: Current Awareness, Journals, Primary Care Tagged:... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231423 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:06:15 +0100 3231423 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3223504&cid=t_106754_155_f&fid=39055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjulesberman.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fone-way-hash-perl-python-ruby.html I have prepared short scripts , in Perl, Python, and Ruby, for implementing one-way hash operations. One-way hashes are extremely important in medical informatics. The following text is extracted from a public domain document that I wrote, in 2002 (1).A one-way hash is an algorithm that transforms a string into another string is such a way that the original string cannot be calculated by operations on the hash value (hence the term "one-way" hash). Examples of public domain one-way hash algorithms are MD5 and SHA (Standard Hash Algorithm). These differ from encryption protocols that produce an output that can be decrypted by a second computation on the encrypted string.The resultant one-way hash values for text strings consist of near-random strings of characters, and the length of the str... Specified Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3223504 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:32:00 +0100 3223504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3075622&cid=t_106754_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoa.courts.mi.gov%2Fdocuments%2FOPINIONS%2FFINAL%2FCOA%2F20081118_C279879_52_164O-279879OPN.PDF The AMANews reports that the Michigan Supreme Court is examining whether the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) preempts state law to allow a defendant physician in a medical liability case to interview the plaintiff/patient's other treating physicians.The history and docket information on the case before the Michigan Supreme Court, Andrea L. Holman v. Mark Rasak, SCt Case Number 137993, can be found via search here. Oral arguments were held on November 3, 2009. The Michigan Supreme Court provides a background summary of the case along with links to the briefs filed by the parties, including Amicus Curiae Briefs filed by the Michigan Association for Justice, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, Michigan Health and Hospital Association, Michigan State Medical Soc... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3075622 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:54:47 +0100 3075622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916162&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fgoogling-and-oogling.html We've been talking about Psychiatrists and Facebook here on Shrink Rap and it got me thinking about psychiatry and technology. I always think of the internet as kind of public turf. Can it be "wrong" to Google someone? It's not illegal, it's not hard, and the stuff is all in the public domain. People will sometimes mention they've Googled me to find my phone number. I don't often Google patients, but once in a while. Someone once told me about their brother's murder in an international scandal and it sounded a bit weird, so I Googled (--the brother had been murdered and there was some mention of the international issue). But is "wrong?" I'm perplexed.In a Psychiatric News story from July, Jun Yan writes in Psychiatrist Must Beware the Perils of Cyberspace: Recently, APA's Ethics Committee ... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916162 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:01:00 +0100 2916162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2894566&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F15%2Fyour-patient-rights-in-therapy%2F Before you go into psychotherapy, you should be informed of your rights as a patient ahead of time by the therapist. The therapist should, in addition, give you a printed copy of something that reads similar to the below, so that you can take it home with you. We’ve long had a version of these rights here on our website, but I thought it might be helpful to further describe or explain each right in a little more detail. Therapists nowadays may also often offer you their guidelines for electronic and/or outside contact, (such as through Facebook, email, telephone, etc). This sets the ground rules for how you may contact the therapist outside of session, in event of an emergency, or in the event that you just want to share something with your therapist (or change your appointment or su... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2894566 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:09:57 +0100 2894566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876063&cid=t_106754_101_f&fid=38975&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicblog999.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F08%2Fbeware-the-man-with-the-camera%2F There have been some interesting posts pop up on some of the blogs I read during the last 24hrs. It appears to have started over at Statter 911, where a post was put up describing a video that is now doing the rounds on YouTube, showing a Fire Fighter/EMT from Keene (N.H – Is that new Hampshire?) getting a little upset with a cameraman/photographer who was recording film of him whilst he was performing his duties caring for a patient. There seems to be a lot more involved in this than initially meets the eye, as you will see from the video produced from the `Free Keene` free rights/anti government group. I can imagine that there may be some history in this town with this group and the various government departments. The interesting thing from an emergency care perspective though is t... Medic999 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876063 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:44:04 +0100 2876063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2678683&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F07%2Fdsm-v-update-and-transparency%2F Discussion: Is the Risk Syndrome for Psychosis Risky Business?”, this describes in detail the proposal for a new disorder called “Risk Syndrome for Psychosis.” You can access the proposed criteria for the disorder, including the text discussing characteristics, associated features, differential diagnosis, etc…. So far, there are 23 comments posted, constituting a rigorous debate about the pros and cons of the proposal. Whether or not 23 comments constitutes a “rigorous debate” anywhere, I’d point out of the seven work group members featured at the top of this article, only two of them bothered to engage in this live discussion. What’s that say about their interests in engaging in actual, legitimate scholarly discussion? (On a side note, if y... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2678683 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:42:50 +0100 2678683 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287231&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F23%2Fjama-and-deangelis-respond-but-deangelis-should-resign%2F In an attempt to whitewash their own actions and responsibility to uphold the highest standards of academic publishing, Catherine D. DeAngelis and Phil B. Fontanarosa — editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) — published an editorial defending their handling of a conflict of interest and blasting the professor who brought it to their attention. In a classic example of shooting the messenger, it’s my opinion that DeAngelis and Fontanarosa absolve themselves of all blame, and suggest that any reports where they called Lincoln Memorial University Assistant Dean of Students and Professor Jonathan Leo Ph.D., a “a nothing and a nobody” were “erroneous.” (In other words, the editors of JAMA are apparently suggesting that the Wall... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287231 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:38:13 +0100 2287231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2107674&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fgoing-public-with-gonorrhoea.html Guido reminds us to pay tribute to the late, great Patrick McGoohan but obviously has not yet noticed a “little bit of news” that almosts slips by in a side column of page 4 of today’s Times:Personal data gathered by one government department will be available to other areas of Whitehall, local government and agencies under proposed legislation published yesterday. This will open the way for the bulk sharing of information across government, and reverses existing policy, in which data can only be used for the purpose for which it was gathered. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, defended the proposal, saying that it was intended to improve public services and help to fight crime.Opponents said that it was a further step towards a “Big Brother” state and that the Government had a p... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2107674 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:01:00 +0100 2107674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2026952&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F10%2Fa-teenagers-confidentiality%2F A thorny issue that arises time and time again occurs when a teenager undergoes treatment for a health or mental health problem. Dr. Klass discussed this problem earlier this week over at the New York Times from a medical perspective, but the same confidentiality challenges a doctor faces are also faced by therapists. Doctors and therapists have what is called doctor-patient confidentiality — anything told to the doctor or therapist is protected by that right. But since only adults can enter into contracts, these kinds of rights are not absolute and often are not extended automatically to teens and adolescents. There are no black and white answers, unfortunately, regarding this issue. Teenagers are right to feel uncomfortable with outright disclosure to a professional they’re ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2026952 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:30:52 +0100 2026952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021378&cid=t_106754_113_f&fid=34632&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurehealthit.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fiso_27001_information_security.html What a difference the right person makes. During my first year at university I endured some impenetrable lectures on thermodynamics. The text book the lecturer recommended was equally gnomic. A change of course and a year later enter Dr. Hinchcliffe. His lectures were paragons of clarity which made the whole subject seem easy—enjoyable even. After a period in the UK where CDs, zip drives and laptops containing large numbers of confidential data have been mislaid at a mind boggling rate it is hardly surprising that information security is now at the top of the agenda of many health organisations and their suppliers. I have recently been engaged in work for clients on information security particularly related to the ISO/IEC 27001 and 2 standards. At the word standard eyes glaze because w... Future Health IT blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021378 Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:04:49 +0100 2021378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1901601&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F428828063%2Fthey-say-its-all-in-genes-but-do-i.html The Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative“It’s all in the Genes: Researchers Uncover your Genetic Profile”Would you really want to know what is down the road for your health?Genome Profiling Project…..This innovative science takes a sample of my saliva and tests the DNA for certain genes that are associated with specific diseases. Some prominent healthcare institutions are taking part in this groundbreaking project. Healthcare facilities such as Fox Chase Cancer Center, Virtua Health Care, and Cooper Medical Center have thrown their hats in the ring on this one.I have some concerns about this. Let me tell you about them:Accuracy: Who says these tests are accurate? Have we done any studies up until now that prove that these tests would be reliable? Would I be worrying unnecess... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1901601 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:30:49 +0100 1901601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1841171&cid=t_106754_88_f&fid=35612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheknifeman.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fodds-and-sods.html Ruminations...Struggle on, trying to finish some work related research, revise, generally live my life. It goes slowly; I think I'd be good as a sloth. Although not sure I'd pass the entrance exam.La Belle Fille continues to understand, which is good of her; spent the weekend hanging out, which is good for the soul; I also had the pleasure of seeing possibly the world's biggest round of cheese at the local French market. God love the French.A brief flag for NotDrRant. This blog has a very different spin on the NHS; a patient's view, and not a complimentary one. I'm in favour of free speech, so you should feel free to check them out, tho' I don't hold with their take on the causes of the faults ( to whit, it's all the doctor's fault. ) That having sad, the author doesn't seem to have been s... The KnifeMan blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1841171 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:47:00 +0100 1841171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1730650&cid=t_106754_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2F374077599%2F I thought I ‘d trial a new idea on the MN site based on the precept that several student (and pre-student) nurses visit this site. I’ll open up a forum discussion for feedback on the idea in general but leave this thread for responses to the vignette. The idea is to set a scenario and debate the issues it throws up - I explicitly invite “service users” to also jump in and stir the ethical stew-pot as well as our regular contributors. #1 is around confidentiality (and risk). Joe was diagnosed with schizophrenia secondary to drug use some 4 years ago. He’s been in hospital voluntarily on 3 brief occasions (4 - 8 weeks) - once as a social issue when he lost his flat and decompensated; twice for breakthrough symptom management that resulted in medication changes.... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1730650 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:13:07 +0100 1730650 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1676221&cid=t_106754_111_f&fid=34615&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emergiblog.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fetiquette-in-the-er.html I don’t think I’ve ever had a patient plead for coffee. Back in the old days (pardon me, sonny, while I put my teeth in…), patients in the Coronary Care Unit were not allowed to have caffeinated coffee. No stimulating cardiac muscle in my department! All we could give them was Sanka. Freeze-dried Sanka. It would be a cold day in Hades before I’d be pleading with anyone for coffee, leaded or unleaded. I’d get it one way or another! Even if it meant my husband had to sneak it in under his coat! ******************** While at the BlogHer08 conference a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Emily Post’s great-great granddaughter, Anna Post. (Yep, THE Emily Post!). Anna writes a blog entitled What Would Emily Post Do? , focusing on modern etiquette and... Emergiblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1676221 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 06:40:33 +0100 1676221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1674848&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34795&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoloshrink.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Felectronic-health-records-ehr.html Health Data: Not For Sale Right now, as Congress considers health IT legislation that would convert our health records from paper to electronic data, patient information is at risk of becoming a commodity that businesses can sell or trade. While having a nationally connected electronic network for storing and sharing Americans medical information promises to reduce medical error and improve patient care both in emergencies and chronic situations, medical privacy should not become a casualty of the race to set up databases of electronic health records. We need real patient control of data and damages for misuse or theft. Patients must be able to review files, correct bad data, and block access without consent to personal information. The legislation before the subcommittee does not have t... Solo Shrink blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1674848 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:01:00 +0100 1674848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1645863&cid=t_106754_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthcarebloglaw.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Fohio-court-creates-new-tort-for.html The Ohio Supreme Court issued a recent decision in Hageman v. Southwest General Health Center, et al. Slip Opinion No. 2008-Ohio-3343 (July 9, 2008), holding that an attorney's unauthorized disclosure of medical information obtained during litigation in a separate proceeding could be the basis of a tort claim. The decision in Hageman has implications regarding the waiver of confidentiality and the secondary release of medical information under a standard HIPAA compliant authorization.The Court in Hageman held:With these considerations in mind, we hold that when the cloak of confidentiality that applies to medical records is waived for the purposes of litigation, the waiver is limited to that case. An attorney can certainly use medical records obtained lawfully through the discovery process... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1645863 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:25:00 +0100 1645863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1622101&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F14%2Ftreatment-options-for-kids-teens%2F This article describes the process in Indianapolis schools: Confidential mental-health services are available in some Indianapolis schools. Midtown, part of Wishard Health Services, provides services at about 20 Indianapolis Public Schools. “All children who we treat have to have parental consent. We want the family’s input on what it is they want their children to achieve or accomplish in school and in their counseling. So we get everybody involved and then try to build on the students’ strengths so that they can be successful,” Augenbergs said. While well-intentioned, such requirements means that seeking treatment for their concern is not a possibility. For many legitimate reasons, teens don’t always want their parents knowing what’s going on with... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1622101 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:45:04 +0100 1622101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531231&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34795&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoloshrink.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fus-government-protects-us-from.html You people know I just can’t pass up a chance like this to sing the praises of our government agencies’ efforts to protect us from terrorism. Furthermore, simply tie this article and the privacy and security of Electronic Health Records together and think about it. The following is the text and links directly from the June 18 article in Boing Boing: “US seizes Danish dress-shop's payment to Pakistan in the name of "terrorism" Posted: 18 Jun 2008 05:23 AM CDT Carsten sez, "The owner of a small dress shop in Maribo, Denmark, orders six dresses in Pakistan for a value of $205 and pays by bank transfer - only to find that the transfer is intercepted by the US authorities and the money seized because the seller (fashio.biz) might conceivably support 'terrorism'." "Christa Møllgaard-Hanse... Solo Shrink blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531231 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:27:00 +0100 1531231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531082&cid=t_106754_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F06%2F18%2Fthe-patient-information-advisory-group-piag-annual-report-2006-07%2F The fifth PIAG Annual Report 2007 is now available it identifies the following key principles: Where an organisation has a direct relationship with a patient then it should aim to obtain consent from that patient for the use of their confidential information. Consent should be sought by clinicians who have a direct relationship with patients (rather than by researchers or other agencies). Organisations should not hold data on patients who specifically refuse consent, unless they are legally required to do so. Section 60 support cannot be used knowingly to over-ride dissent of patients who do not wish to take part in research studies “Third Party” organisations should be seeking to use anonymised/pseudonymised data. The NHS number should be used wherever possible in preference to more ... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531082 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:15:28 +0100 1531082 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1494307&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fonline-access-to-prescription.html I saw a headline this morning that the California attorney general is moving to provide instant access to a patient's prescription history for doctors and pharmacists (regulatory boards and law enforcement organizations currently have ready access to this info).  State Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown unveiled a plan Wednesday to provide doctors and pharmacists with almost instant Internet access to patient prescription drug histories to help prevent so-called doctor shopping and other abuses of pharmaceuticals.Brown told a Los Angeles news conference that the state's prescription monitoring is a "horse-and-buggy" system that needs significant improvements because it now can take healthcare professionals weeks to obtain information on drug use by patients. That delay can allow some patients to ge... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1494307 Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:02:00 +0100 1494307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1494217&cid=t_106754_113_f&fid=34636&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rodspace.co.uk%2Fblog%2F2008%2F06%2Fdr-paul-thornton-has-made-public-his.html (Source: Informaticopia) Informaticopia blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1494217 Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:40:00 +0100 1494217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1458531&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34795&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoloshrink.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fair-force-aims-for-full-control-of-any_21.html Initially, this post was written for a different audience, but I believe it is something that should be of interest to mental health professionals. Although I have a love for computers, I also have a great distrust that anything transmitted from them is secure or private. We need to think of HIPAA requirements, electronic billing, chats with clients online or on the telephone, the elecronic medical record, and so on. Everything on the internet is forever, stored in memory somewhere, and accessible from more and more sources, legal or not A post on this topic geared specifically to the purpose of this blog will be done soon.Does that read too much like a scare headline from the Far Left? It isn't. Wired News online reports that the US Air Force itself has made it. In an April 13, 2008 artic... Solo Shrink blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458531 Wed, 21 May 2008 08:48:00 +0100 1458531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1380517&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34753&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.relaxedtherapist.com%2Fi-have-to-breach-confidentiality-part-2%2Fwhatif%2F Disclosures requiring that confidentiality be breached are rare. A little preparation should permit you to focus upon supporting your client through the process, preserving your therapeutic rapport. In part one, we considered how to react when a breach of confidentiality seems necessary, how to prepare for such an eventuality and what to say to the client. Now we will consider how to continue your involvement with your client once you have had to breach their confidentiality. We will also consider how to proceed when your decision to breach confidentiality is reached outwith the session, whether independently, directed by your supervisor or required by law (eg: by a court order). Ending the session The decision to override confidentiality will usually discontinue a therapy session, but p... The Relaxed Therapist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1380517 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:09:30 +0100 1380517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1344614&cid=t_106754_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F262163176%2F A federal judge in Boston has denied a motion by the drugmaker to compel The New England Journal of Medicine to hand over confidential peer reviews and editorial notes, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports. The decision comes two weeks after a federal judge in Chicago agreed with two other journals - including the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Archives of Internal Medicine - that Pfizer couldn’t force them to reveal confidential info. In January, Pfizer filed a motion asking for peer-review documents it had subpoenaed from 11 studies on the drugs published by the various journals, including the NEJM, and also sought rejected studies, arguing the manuscripts might contain data that could be useful for its defense. The drugmaker is currently being sued in fed... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1344614 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:34:13 +0100 1344614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1269556&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fdata-confidentiality-more-lies.html It really does not matter anymore if civil servants leave confidential database records in coffee shops. Despite numerous promises to the contrary, Computer Weekly reveals: A new national database of confidential patient records is being opened to access by NHS staff who need no professional qualifications - despite official assurances that records will only be accessed by specialists who are providing care or treatment. A document obtained by Computer Weekly under the Freedom of Information Act also provides evidence that NHS Connecting for Health - which runs part of the £12.4bn National Programme for IT [NPfIT] - has quietly decided to weaken assurances given to patients about the confidentiality of records. Doctors are angry because they say that patients were given an assurance that ... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1269556 Sat, 01 Mar 2008 08:22:00 +0100 1269556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1252869&cid=t_106754_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F240392936%2F This report could have been titled “12,356 Things That COULD Go Wrong With Your PHR.” (more…) Share This (Source: e-CareManagement) e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1252869 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:55:35 +0100 1252869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1244994&cid=t_106754_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F20%2Fmental-health-and-ill-health-in-doctors%2F looks at mental health and ill health in doctors and the factors that influence them. It outlines ways in which the NHS can provide appropriate services and encourage doctors and other health care workers to seek early advice and support for mental health problems. The Report identifies that if doctors are to receive appropriate mental health care, they, their colleagues, their employers, commissioners of services and key national organisations must have a shared view of what is needed. This should cover: Access to information Designated care pathways and services Role of occupational health services Need for confidentiality and privacy (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1244994 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:52:19 +0100 1244994 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1132136&cid=t_106754_113_f&fid=34632&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurehealthit.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fsecure_health_records_hardware_2.html Further to my recent postings on the essential technical and human aspects of secure and confidential information systems, I was watching the voluble Gyles Brandreth review the newspapers with Carol Vorderman on the Andrew Marr Show this morning. The discussion touched on the recent losses of personal data by various public sector organisations. Mr. Brandreth said the real problem was not hardware or software but brainware. Nicely put. To add weight to this read this entry on the Joe Public blog. (Source: Future Health IT) Future Health IT blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1132136 Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:02:25 +0100 1132136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=770612&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34795&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoloshrink.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fsecurity-software.html Most mental health professionals would agree that we have a duty to keep confidential our clients’ PHI. This seems especially true if we keep that information on computers that can be lost, hacked, or subject to viruses of all kinds.I recently had, and am continuing to have, an experience of possible identity theft. I did nothing to cause it or to leave myself open to that attack. Stupid things happen. A portable drive with a database of providers was lost or stolen. The VHA wrote to notify me and to offer a year of free credit monitoring and fraud alerts. As most of my personal information including SSN, EIN, name, address, and all the rest was on it, I accepted their offer quickly. My suspicion is that a less experienced employee or an intern copied it to a thumb drive to work on at ho... Solo Shrink blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=770612 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:11:00 +0100 770612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=683530&cid=t_106754_140_f&fid=35465&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychlaws.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F06%2Fcommon-sense-mental-health-system-we.html In his Sunday column in the Washington Post, Marc Fisher makes the following observation about the arcane application of confidentiality in mental health:“But any system that lets rigid laws take precedence over common sense, human caring and the free flow of information is destined to fail.”He quotes Marcus Martin, an emergency room physician who is on Virginia Governor Kaine's commission investigating the Virginia tech shooting whose common sense view leads him to observe:"We keep head-injured patients, trauma patients, involuntarily all the time," said. "We don't rely on the legal system. It should be the same for mental health."But, it’s not just in Virginia that questions about the mental health system’s hyper-vigilance about confidentiality have arisen. Maine Senator Peter Mi... Treatment Advocacy Center blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=683530 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:13:00 +0100 683530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=497781&cid=t_106754_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomensbioethics.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fdoctors-dishing-dirt.html "I informed a patient's parents that we would call them when their child was off the heart bypass machine and back in the intensive care unit. That went down like a lead balloon as the child was in fact having spinal surgery. Oops...." (From http://mediblogopathy.blogspot.com)An article in the Washington Post today examines the troubling trend of doctors blogging about their patients (sometimes rather harshly and crudely). The phenomenon is so new that medical boards, schools and professionals disagree on what is acceptable. The trend is troubling because not only because of the risk of compromising patient privacy but also because of potential liability for hospitals. I certainly could envision lawsuits -- can't you just see the latest lawyer ads? (Is your doctor talking about you behind ... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=497781 Sat, 24 Mar 2007 01:08:00 +0100 497781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060816&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2006%2F06%2Fworry_about_your_privacy.php You should. The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee passed a bill that will create a giant database of everyone's health records. Can you imagine the consequences of someone hacking into this system? It would make the VA fiasco caused by a stolen laptop look puny in comparison. Then there is questions about what the government might do with the information, beyond research. ClinkShrink has an interesting comment: ClinkShrink said... Will people be able to opt out of this national health information system? And what happens when law enforcement decides to subpoena aggregate data to investigate patterns of national drug abuse? Or infectious diseases? Or physician's prescribing of controlled substances? The last thing I would worry about is some outside person hacking into the sys... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060816 Sat, 10 Jun 2006 01:04:42 +0100 4060816 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060892&cid=t_106754_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2005%2F04%2Fhow_private_are_your_healthcar.php The Bush Administration proposed a computer-based method for storing and easily making available healthcare records. While this technology can be critically important, even life saving for some medical concerns, it presents a unique risk to mental health service consumers. Societal stigma is alive and well. Employers, insurance companies, and even law enforcement maybe placed in a position to discriminate based on available records. Special protections must be in place to prevent untrained people from accessing your records. PRIVACY CONCERNS ON MENTAL HEALTH RECORDS “We believe that a National Health Information Network (NHIN) has the potential to improve the quality of health care provided in this country, allowing instant access to critical health information at any point of care,�... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060892 Sun, 24 Apr 2005 17:10:54 +0100 4060892