Editorial: Medical privacy still has a place after all
Tuesday, July 10, 2001 | 9:03 a.m.
Many health care providers were beside themselves last year when the Clinton administration adopted tough regulations protecting the privacy rights of patients. So hospitals, doctors and insurance companies lobbied the incoming Bush administration to gut these important protections, which were to ensure that medical records would not be disclosed without a patient's consent. Fortunately the Bush administration, after sending early signs that it may soften the rules, eventually said it would protect patient privacy rights.
In April the Department of Health and Human Services said it would issue guidelines on how to interpret the rules, which go into effect in 2003. Last week HHS released a common sense handbook on the privacy regulations, putting to rest the notion that the rules couldn't work. In one example, hospitals had made the specious argument that in order to comply with the rules they would have to build private, soundproof rooms in order to ensure that others wouldn't overhear a medical conversation a nurse or doctor would have with a patient. But HHS noted last week that as long as reasonable privacy steps were taken during a consultation, such as using curtains or screens (which are present in nearly all hospital rooms), that would sufficiently guarantee a patient's privacy.
Medical records certainly are a valuable piece of information, but no one should have the right to disclose them without first getting the patient's permission. The Bush administration has taken an important step in ensuring that such highly personal records aren't viewed as just a scrap of paper to be sold to the highest bidder.
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- ‘Stripper-mobile’ with live dancers raises safety, decency concerns
- Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto arrive at MGM Grand
- Report: State’s economy worse off than any other
- Harrah’s launches program to focus on small group travel
- Rebels survive scare from Division-II Washburn
- Encore, M Resort added to Forbes Travel list
- Study cites challenges of Nevada’s financial problems
- Las Vegas sees first monthly visitor increase since May 2008
- Dispute over casino baccarat systems prompts lawsuit
- Tourism companies embrace social media strategies
Blogs
TUF Heavyweights
Episode 9: Funky chickens
Shark Bytes
Players on championship team always worked hard (8 Comments)
Sports: Upon Further Review
Fight snapshot: Predictions for Pacquiao-Cotto (1 Comment)
The Kats Report
A lesson in information dissemination, with a little Twitter and a lot of Agassi
Now and Then
Ichabods were tougher than they sound (4 Comments)
Politics: Ralston's Flash
I shudder to think what the “amazing door prize from the governor” might be (8 Comments)
Pew Center report finds what others have: Nevada's economy depressed, future in doubt (8 Comments)
Calendar »
- 12 Thu
- 13 Fri
- 14 Sat
- 15 Sun
- 16 Mon
-
Las Vegas Wranglers vs. Utah Grizzlies
Orleans Hotel-Casino
-
Lily Tomlin at the Hollywood Theatre
Hollywood Theatre at MGM Grand
-
Leonard Cohen at The Colosseum
The Colosseum | 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
Football specials at Diablo's
Diablos Cantina
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati










