Health Hazard: Computers Spilling Your History

NY Times ^ | December 3, 2006 | MILT FREUDENHEIM and ROBERT PEAR

[neverdem]

BILL CLINTON’S identity was hidden behind a false name when he went to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital two years ago for heart surgery, but that didn’t stop computer hackers, including people working at the hospital, from trying to get a peek at the electronic records of his medical charts.

The same hospital thwarted 1,500 unauthorized attempts by its own employees to look at the patient records of a famous local athlete, said J. David Liss, a vice president at NewYork-Presbyterian.

And just last September, the New York City public hospital system said that dozens of workers at one of its Brooklyn medical centers, including doctors and nurses, technicians and clerks, had improperly looked at the computerized medical records of Nixzmary Brown, a 7-year-old who prosecutors say was beaten to death by her stepfather last winter.

Powerful forces are lobbying hard for government and private programs that could push the nation’s costly and inefficient health care system into the computer age. President Bush strongly favors more use of health information technology. Health insurance and medical device companies are eager supporters, not to mention technology companies like I.B.M. and Google. Furthermore, Intel and Wal-Mart Stores have both said they intend to announce plans this week to embrace electronic health records for their employees.

Others may soon follow. Bills to speed the adoption of information technology by hospitals and doctors have passed both chambers of Congress.

But the legislation has bogged down, largely because of differences over how to balance the health care industry’s interest in efficiently collecting, studying and using data with privacy concerns for tens of millions of ordinary Americans — not just celebrities and victims of crime.

Advocates of such legislation, including Representative Joe L. Barton, the Texas Republican who is the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said that...

[neverdem]

[Nancee]

If only we could locate the final destination of those FBI files Hillary kept on us....we wouldn't have to resort to this!

Nancee

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Yawn...

Who cares if someone has my "health" records. Credit bureaus have so much minutia on each of us anyway our lives are public record. Your last purchase, your last web site visited, etc...

[vetvetdoug]

Insurance companies have all of this information and they share it within the business. There is no such thing as confidentiality with respect to medical records. Anything one says to psychiatrist can and will be used against one a)in court or b)to deny or raise insurance premiums.

I learned this lesson a really difficult way by experience.

[ExTexasRedhead]

Why is it that Liberals scream like stuck pigs when their personal information and dirt is put out there for all to read. On the other hand, Liberals relish digging up dirt and personal information on their opponents and then they spill it to their willing accomplices in the MSM.

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Of course if this was Rush Limbaugh they would be doing a PUBLIC SERVICE to make sure everyone has access to his medical records...

[mamelukesabre]

I've always suspected this. I am a bit of a paranoid nut by nature. Even as a small kid I suspected things like this and got nervous about what people put in files. I never let anyone tell me I had any kind of disorder. I would lie about symptoms so as to appear perfectly healthy. When I got injuries on the job, I would lie about the pain and claim I had a miraculous recovery and good as new in record time...while co-workers were lying the other way...milking sick leave and such.

I've never been to a psychiatrist. I seem to have been born with a very strong dislike and distrust of people such as this. I even hated high school guidance councilors. I always imagined they had alterior motives and were out to limit my options. I can remember certain instances where I actually made it a point to do exactly the opposite of what my guidance councilor advised simply because I really did think he was up to no good.

[ccmay]

Anything one says to psychiatrist can and will be used against one a)in court or b)to deny or raise insurance premiums.

I once met a psychiatrist who does a very nice business on a cash-only basis with no written notes. He looks after other professionals who need help but can't risk discovery by a busybody licensing board or plaintiff's lawyer.

-ccm

[neverdem]

Polonium, $22.50 Plus Tax

Tracking Neural Stem Cells in Patients with Brain Trauma

FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

[Nancee]

"Why is it that Liberals scream like stuck pigs when their personal information and dirt is put out there for all to read. On the other hand, Liberals relish digging up dirt and personal information on their opponents and then they spill it to their willing accomplices in the MSM."

Liberals only want their rights and their free speech to be protected; that's why. And why is that? Because they're almost always up to no good! And you're right again, they always have the able assistance of their good, good friends in the MSM! And the MSM only helps us when they absolutely cannot find a way not to.

Nancee

[vetvetdoug]

Cash only and no records would be the only way I would ever result to the assistance of a psychiatrist again. After what the psychiatrist put in my records it was ten years before I could get life insurance and a better rated health insurance. Even when I had another physician give a conflicting opinion and diagnosis, the insurance companies took the first's statements to rate me.

[cva66snipe]

“Privacy is an important issue,” said Mr. Barton, who will lose the chairman’s post when the Democrats take over next year, “but more important is that we get a health information system in place.” Congress can address privacy later “if we need to,” he said.

A very good reason to be careful who you vote for. By then Mr Idiot Congressman it is simply too late. May we see YOUR private records please? I'm certain they are in a secure data base/sarcasm. The government as a whole simply has no business or Constitutional purpose for establishing databases of U.S. citizens beyond the national census and law enforcement purposes.

Some of the reasons the GOP has been using as of late go well beyond the purpose and limits of the function of federal government. The current U.S. Attorney General should be included as one of the worst abusers of the database frenzy. Can we please see your medical records and web surfing habits Mr Gonzales? What kind of information can we use against you?

My medical records plus many more other private legal acts are simply none of Congress, POTUS, or any other government agencies business. No not even the Republicans. Every American Citizen should be outraged at this. It puts this nation just another step closer to being under a dictatorship in our future.

[ExTexasRedhead]

"...they're almost always up to no good..."

IMO, there is NO good in Liberals. Liberals (Pelosi, Clinton, Kerry, Kennedy, Schumer, Rangel, Reid, Dean and the rest of the slimes) are ALWAYS up to no good. They're twisted and want power and control over everyone and everything except themselves while they destroy the country.

[Nancee]

"They're twisted and want power and control over everyone and everything except themselves while they destroy the country."

Couldn't agree more! I just cannot for the life of me understand why!!!

Nancee