Way before I ever thought about my medical privacy like this I already thought about these kind of things. Honestly, why not put the power of these wonderful machines in a more "One Way" kind of form... People can send lots of data and important information to the provider or clinic, hospital of their choice, much in the way our lab interface does right now. We could use something like individual provider numbers to only "export" data that then could be routed to the correct provider and their office. But the idea of a "Two Way" interface where we have to open ports and grant the REC and therefore basically the entire healthcare industry if not the entire WWW, that is just Crazy and so totally OVERKILL and so dangerous...
So we could practically properly and safely "Dial Up" any provider via a one way routing system with those ID Numbers to CC doctors and hospitals that need to be in the loop.... And so we could send a referal with most recent labs and the MidMark Ritter run ECG from our AC interfaced EMR and have AC have a record of who we CC'ed by the name and number of that provider just as our pratice rolodex does for us much right now....
Honestly, why would anyone want to let the government (perhaps the largest insurance carrier in the country already) have full and unfettered access to their medical records as a healthcare consumer and American Citizen.... What if it was a drug screening or a wound care provided that might show proof of your being in need of repairs post some possible crime or accident.. This is your 5th amendment being violated as you are being asked to wave your right not to have your own data and words used against you.... and as the doctor charting the notes and coding the encounters the same kind of risks to violating rights apply...
I am concerned that with massive amounts of data storage getting cheaper and easier every day, how long if and until the carriers have full access to any chart 24/7 when in fact right now we have many situations where we are not required to answer or cooperate with carriers requests for notes.... Remember as I was taught by one of the best pro-doctor lawyers from one of the best healthcare attorneys in NYS... When it looks like they are spying on the doctor they are also spying on the patient and when it looks like they are spying on the patient they are also spying on the doctor. Every note you send a carrier when they request them is an opportunity for them to collect data and information on YOU and YOUR charting habits verses your Coding Habits.. It was his contention when addressing the Medical Society who brings this guy in specifically to teach us how to protect ourselves and our patients, that they are ALWAYS using this information, assume that they are, because they really are, compiling records on all doctors like this, to one day come out from behind the curtain and say, "Ah Ha, Gottcha!!!" and start running you ragged fighting coding and give backs and worrying about being refered to the state or the feds for further investigations of fraud and abuse.... and once one of them gets the scent of blood, they are allowed to and they do collude together to share information like this and then once UHC is done with you, then Aetna or CIGNA will be coming after you next... by the time they all get done with you even if you never have to give back a dime, you will be ready for the funny farm, been drinking in excess, lost so much productive time, and have spent all of your modest saved funds that you might as well simply roll over and play dead.... and you just might have to default and declare bankrupcy....
So either give patients regular updates of their charts to take with them to then share with their other providers from their personal very tightly encripted and locked down flash drives ala this link "IronKey" flash drives and other interesting solutions.... or only have folks send data one way to those that they know have permission to recieve it or are otherwise HIPAA covered because we share a patient and their care like in a referal situation....
https://www.ironkey.com/There is absolutely no need or good reason to create these massive hackers delights except so the carriers and the gov't can go to town on providers and citizens and further errode our actual and expectations of privacy.... and then one has to stop and ask and wonder why???
Paul
