Posted on 12/17/2013 7:09:53 AM PST by Innovative
Sometimes, surprise findings can be life-saving, for example in the case of an athlete whose brain is scanned after a concussion, and radiologists spot a tumor, Hauser said.
Other times, nothing can be done. That same brain scan might show early signs of an incurable condition, Hauser said, and "this young person now needs to live with the knowledge that she may someday develop this neurologic disease."
Follow-up testing may do harm.
Doctors, researchers and direct-to-consumer companies alike should inform potential patients about the possibility of incidental findings before they undergo a medical test. They should clearly explain what will and won't be disclosed, so patients can make an informed decision about whether and how to proceed.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Welcome to Obamacare -- there are more and more medical guidelines along the lines of not treating you and not even telling you what the tests show.
Sounds like we better get copies not just the scan report, but the actual scan, and take it to another doctor, hoping that someone will tell you what it really shows.
It is MALPRACTICE to withhold critical medical information!!!
Not if Obamacare requires it:
“A presidential advisory council said Thursday ... Thursday’s report notes that not every medical condition that can be found should be (told to the patient)...
I’d like to get a copy of this actual report
“But Thursday’s report says that not every medical condition that can be found, should be — and there’s conflicting advice about how to disclose and manage incidental findings.”
http://www.crescent-news.com/health/2013/12/13/medical-test-surprises-what-should-you-be-told
However, it is quickly becoming the 'law of the land'.
If you find out you have some condition, you might want to TREAT it!!! That would use up money that belongs to the government after they took it away from you at the barrel of a gun.
it is the patients information
It is MALPRACTICE to withhold critical medical information!!!
No one has a greater right to information about me than I do. If my body has been central to the discovery of information, I have first rights to the information.
HIPPA gives everybody access to your medical information EXCEPT you.
The laws Liberals pass always do the opposite of what they say they are going to do.
But who owns that scan? Back in the days of paying for your own health care, you could say "I bought it, I own it, hand it over." Now with either government controlled insurance companies or even the government itself paying for your scan (and in Obama's plan government will be the only entity legally allowed to pay for health care), do you still have ownership of your test results? Or does the government own them? Will you need your local Russian hacker who stole your ID when you signed up for Obamacare to break into your account to steal your secret test results for you?
Give it to me straight, doc... 
I can take it.
Why am I wearing... 
a diaper?
The lower thoracic wrap, Mr. Bender... 
is to keep your condition from spreading.
What condition? And keep it from spreading... 
where?
It is keep your outbreak of Smallcox... 
from dropping down to give you Kneeasles and Toeolio.
I found the actual report!!! — you have to click through multiple topics and pages at the following link.
http://bioethics.gov/node/3183
“HIPPA gives everybody access to your medical information EXCEPT you.
The laws Liberals pass always do the opposite of what they say they are going to do.”
Exactly. The name of the report is “Anticipate and Communicate: Ethical Management of Incidental and Secondary Findings in the Clinical, Research, and Direct-to-Consumer Contexts “
When in fact they are telling doctors to NOT tell you the findings.
http://bioethics.gov/node/3183
Or you might decide to stop spending so much time and money on being sick and take that world wide cruise.
The best possible answer is to pay for your own checkups.
Good question.
A doctor could be sued for disclosing information or not disclosing information.
If I as a physician believe that disclosing the incidental finding of an incurable condition to a patient might do more harm than good and do not disclose it, I could be sued for denying the patient the opportunity to plan his remaining days.
On the other hand, if I disclose such information, and the patient were to go on to commit suicide, I could be sued by the family for contributing to the patient’s untimely death.
Now, most juries would exonerate the doctor, but only after scores of lawyers had “earned” inflated fees in discovery, depositions and trials. Tort reform? We don’t need no stinkin’ tort reform.
So the real question is do we follow the paternalistic model, pat the patient on the head and lie that “everything will be alright”, or follow the full-disclosure “shared responsibility” model, allowing patients with little understanding of science, biology, medicine or logic to make bad decisions?
Maybe it’s time for doctors to wear an “Ask Me About The Death Panel” button on their white coats.
I found the actual report in pdf at the link:
http://bioethics.gov/sites/default/files/FINALAnticipateCommunicate_PCSBI_0.pdf
Recommend downloading it before it disappears.
“Maybe it’s time for doctors to wear an “Ask Me About The Death Panel” button on their white coats.”
This is exactly where it’s going — doctors will be compelled to withhold vital information from patients, to be able to participate and get paid by Obamacare.
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