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I think it's a con and think the information will be used against people by insurance companies and others who have access to it. Even if the data is protected, anything on a computer is vulnerable. Someone will eventually try to find a loophole to sell the information. Unless we have completely socialized medicine, which we won't. the healthcare industry, like all others, is for profit and someone, one day will find a way to profit from the database.
and you think "completely socialized medicine" would provide security and protection in your best interests?
I have been thinking of this for a bit. My problem with this is who else has access to it and the 99 ways that it can be used against you.
However, I live in a state that says that my medical records must go from one doctors office to another. The problem is the repeat of tests or medications that have not worked before that someone might attempt to prescribe again. Most "normal" people would keep careful track of that. It could even be time saving as one does not have to wait for faxes and there is added information that may aid a specialist. It might even cut down on the misdiagnosed. This might be inherently important if one does not have a regular physician and goes to a clinic due to lack of insurance.
Where I think it would be truly beneficial is the addition of mental health records. Unfortunately, I have to question who has the right to access them. A database of other contacts with mental health professionals might save time and money because they would have previous information of an individual.
Scenario A: A person was diagnosed at the age of 11 as ADhD and is given medication. The child experiences extreme paranoia and thus, was misdiagnosed. Child is taken off medication. Child is now 16 and is in the system. Parents died or rights terminated or what-have-you. They remember "only" that they had been diagnosed as ADhD and do not recall who it was that diagnosed them. It might be really helpful for someone who is trying to figure out the best way to help a child if that information was available.
The problem with all of this is scenario B:
A person is diagnosed with Depression and has anxiety attacks and was born with asthma/bronchitis and was taken away at birth due to mother having cocaine in her system. Just by sheer luck and will, this person suffers no long term physical or mental problems. Future employers will have access to them.
And then there is scenario C:
A person may know that they are ill, physical or mental and will not seek treatment because the label does more damage.
In my state there is no records-routing requirement. If a patient changes doctors and wants the history file in Doctor #1's office to be made available to Doctor #2, there are only two ways to do it: (a) Give written authorization either to Dr. #2's office to request them from Dr. #1, or give written instruction to Dr. #1 to send a copy of the file to Dr. #2; or, (b) The patient can request a copy of specific records or the entire file from Dr #1, then give those copies personally to Dr #2.
Having had several instances of a doctor's office LOSING my patient records (in one instance, a single practice lost my file THREE times within 6 years; they were part of a medical group with a central file room, and I was told that if a patient file is accidentally put into the wrong place, there is no way to find it again unless someone else accidentally discovers it out of place, pulls it out, and puts it in the bin to be re-filed... hopefully in the correct spot this time!) I now insist on getting a copy of the results of any and every test that is performed. This way, when I need to see a different doctor I can (if I wish) give that new doctor any relevant material. But I never authorize any doctor to release information to a third party.
I agree with you about 'damaging' labels and accessibility to a database by future inquirers. In the late 1990s I worked for a large cable TV company as a temp assistant in their HR department, processing new employment applications. In addition to mandatory drug testing, this company also ordered a copy of the applicant's credit report and a comprehensive investigative report which included their drivers license violation record, criminal records in our own and two neighboring states, their school records from grade school (!) through the highest level completed, and detailed references from both former employers, neighbors and family members. I have no doubt that if a Medical History Database were to be created, companies such as this would also access that information if they were allowed to. When a person applies for employment at this company they must give written permission for "any and all" such information to be "verified, at the company's sole discretion". So you can bet that if an employer were able to check on someone's medical history they would dive into that for sure.
To me, it's just one more intrusion into our private lives. Soon enough the government will know when we fart or brush our teeth.
For me, Pandamonium hit the nail on the head in the first sentence of his/her post....who else is going to have access to this information? A potential employer maybe...? The local gym when I apply for a membership...? A restaurant that decides to cross check my credit card information against my medical history and then keep tabs on whether or not my doctor has said "No red meat or dairy" products - thereby refusing me service at a future visit in a "food police" attempt to control what I eat, ala the way some fast-food joints now refuse service to those who are obese? When does the nonsense stop? More precisely, when do we as Americans say "Enough is enough - we don't approve of this."...?
and you think "completely socialized medicine" would provide security and protection in your best interests?
Not necessarily. But when denying people coverage will benefit shareholders, I think the chances of being discriminated against due to one's health history is a given.
Not necessarily. But when denying people coverage will benefit shareholders, I think the chances of being discriminated against due to one's health history is a given.
Well, then, we need to do away with shareholders, don't we.
Not sure why medical records digital needs to be in a database? How about a chip that we all carry that carries our information on it. Our Doctors and those relevent parties should have access to that digital information via a signed waiver for it.
I think medical records digital is a great idea. Dr. doesn't need a chart.. he can just pull up all your information on a chart sized computer screen as he makes his rounds... and all your information is there and entered from there.
It would certainly save money on tests that wouldn't have to be repeated b/c you now have access to the results. It would save a lot of time, too, trying to figure out everything else the patient already had done to them. Something like an old ekg to compare to the new one could even save someone's life.
If you think that most reasonable people know every important aspect of their medical information, you are greatly mistaken. It's neither reliable nor safe to trust what a patient tells you may have happened at another hospital. Given that it could take hours to days to get those medical records sent over from a different hospital/clinic/etc, the database would really help save time and money. It would also red-flag drug seekers who hit every hospital and clinic in town for their prescription narcotics.
Some hospitals already have on-line databases that can share patient information between hospitals of the same hospital system. This has been really, really helpful for patients and caregivers.
Do you favor having this "chip" implanted on every person?
No.. it's physicall invasive and could create medical problems like infection, etc. I'm talking a swipe card or a chip on a keychain type of thing. I think you can actually buy them now and have that information stored on there.
Of course, because people can loose things there would have to be more than one that the exists, possibly in the possession of your physician.
As it is now, you really do not get your physical records in hand and it's sent from Dr. to Dr. when you switch doctors etc. The swipe card or data chip would be no different.
Patients for the day could be loaded onto a handheld "clipboard" like device where the Dr. enters the information on the visit directly in. As it is now, Dr.s send prescriptions to pharmacies for you directly from their handhelds (it's super cool!) Think how there would be less and less paperwork involved.
Heck.. the visit can get automatically coded and sent to the insurance company right then and there based on information of coverage pre-entered for the patient.
Although we'd have to make sure that it was all on a secure network... I can see this happening in the future.
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