HIPPA Should go, or be re-written

[doctorcoug]

I totally agree with this doctor.

Maybe all docs should just write in their privacy statements that all of your medical information will be shared with any needed medical, nursing, and similar consultants.

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/06/patients-die-when-doctors-dont-talk-to-one-another.html

[wuapinmon]

I totally agree with this doctor.

Maybe all docs should just write in their privacy statements that all of your medical information will be shared with any needed medical, nursing, and similar consultants.

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/06/...e-another.html

How many times has this affected you in your practice?

[doctorcoug]

How many times has this affected you in your practice?

Well, my practice is not really "my" practice, as I'm still in training.

This affects me, at a min, every tuesday and friday, which are, oddly, the days my residency program does the "no-doc" call. No-doc are patients that come to the ER (or transfered) that don't have a doctor that admits to the hospital. They may well be deathly sick, but their doctor doesn't have privileges.

Anyway, I find myself having to do lots of extra work because I don't have their records. I have to ask significantly more questions, and I'm never really certain that the info I get is accurate.

So, twice a week, and every time a new patient establishes in clinic (everyday). For the specialists, this is almost every single patient, all day, every day.

BTW, how is your MRSA? I noticed you had it previously. Sorry I underestimated you. The stars were just too aligned.

[CardiacCoug]

I totally agree with this doctor.

Maybe all docs should just write in their privacy statements that all of your medical information will be shared with any needed medical, nursing, and similar consultants.

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/06/...e-another.html

It's HIPAA (Not HIPPA).

I'm in favor of a National Health Record -- if there is one thing that the government could invest in to improve health care, some type of universal, portable health information system would be invaluable.

I read a news story about a woman in Utah who had anxiety attacks and ended up being scanned to rule out pulmonary embolism about 20 times at various ERs over the course of a few months. If doctors and nurses in the ERs would have had access to her prior history, the expense of these tests and radiation exposure for the poor lady could have been avoided.

[Tim]

BTW, how is your MRSA? I noticed you had it previously. Sorry I underestimated you. The stars were just too aligned.

LOL!

[ERCougar]

It's HIPAA (Not HIPPA).

I'm in favor of a National Health Record -- if there is one thing that the government could invest in to improve health care, some type of universal, portable health information system would be invaluable.

I read a news story about a woman in Utah who had anxiety attacks and ended up being scanned to rule out pulmonary embolism about 20 times at various ERs over the course of a few months. If doctors and nurses in the ERs would have had access to her prior history, the expense of these tests and radiation exposure for the poor lady could have been avoided.

One of the advantages to having a monopoly like IHC in town is great records. On almost every patient I see, I have a complete history of their ECG's, labs, radiology reports, even clinic notes. And IHC actually has a really good system. This is nearly unheard of in emergency medicine.

[wuapinmon]

It's HIPAA (Not HIPPA).

I'm in favor of a National Health Record -- if there is one thing that the government could invest in to improve health care, some type of universal, portable health information system would be invaluable.

I read a news story about a woman in Utah who had anxiety attacks and ended up being scanned to rule out pulmonary embolism about 20 times at various ERs over the course of a few months. If doctors and nurses in the ERs would have had access to her prior history, the expense of these tests and radiation exposure for the poor lady could have been avoided.

I think this is an excellent idea....for the obvious reasons of patient care, and because it would make for a hassle-free world instead of having to ask surly-people-who-think-wearing-scrubs-makes-them-a-doctor for my records.

[doctorcoug]

It's HIPAA (Not HIPPA).

I'm in favor of a National Health Record -- if there is one thing that the government could invest in to improve health care, some type of universal, portable health information system would be invaluable.

This is one of the things the VA does right. I saw a pt in the midwest that was treated in an ER in the west that same week. I had access to the entire ER record.

Vista has an open source version called OpenVista, but this doesn't give the record portability, I just mention it because docs spend $30K+ on their EMR.

[ERCougar]

I think this is an excellent idea....for the obvious reasons of patient care, and because it would make for a hassle-free world instead of having to ask surly-people-who-think-wearing-scrubs-makes-them-a-doctor for my records.

It's not the doctors (or the "surly-people-who-think-wearing-scrubs-makes-them-a-doctor") who oppose this. We would all LOVE to have this. It would also do wonders to stop drug seekers in the ER (and other places).

[CardiacCoug]

This is one of the things the VA does right. I saw a pt in the midwest that was treated in an ER in the west that same week. I had access to the entire ER record.

Vista has an open source version called OpenVista, but this doesn't give the record portability, I just mention it because docs spend $30K+ on their EMR.

I agree. The VA computer system was great even the last time I used it while in medical school in 2001.

[doctorcoug]

It's not the doctors (or the "surly-people-who-think-wearing-scrubs-makes-them-a-doctor") who oppose this. We would all LOVE to have this. It would also do wonders to stop drug seekers in the ER (and other places).

In my state, all physicians have access to a narcotic database. We can look up our patients during point of care to see where they are filling their narcotics (or, if they already have).

That has been a good aid in the war on drug seeking. Also, it helps you approach the ER patient with pain.

[I.J. Reilly]

One of the advantages to having a monopoly like IHC in town is great records. On almost every patient I see, I have a complete history of their ECG's, labs, radiology reports, even clinic notes. And IHC actually has a really good system. This is nearly unheard of in emergency medicine.

Intermountain Healthcare actually got a huge shoutout in this article from the New Yorker.

My experiences with IHC (which are legion) have actually left me with a pretty positive experience overall. Even the simple act of keeping electronic records has been of great help and has expidited many otherwise time consuming tasks.

The article also mentions IHC's ability to deliver above average care for below average costs. If you get the time, I highly suggest reading this article.

[Jarid in Cedar]

In my state, all physicians have access to a narcotic database. We can look up our patients during point of care to see where they are filling their narcotics (or, if they already have).

That has been a good aid in the war on drug seeking. Also, it helps you approach the ER patient with pain.

We have a database here as well, but the turnaround time is less than stellar

[ERCougar]

We have a database here as well, but the turnaround time is less than stellar

Yeah, the last time I checked it was like 24 hours. That's useful.

I do think it's improved, but it was so ridiculous last time that I haven't even bothered to check.

[Danimal]

The VA medical record system is amazing. I can see every note a patient has ever had entered into their medical record from any VA facility. This includes medications, reports, progress notes, etc. It's second to none.