Hey guys, long time. This new thread is interesting, as I was unaware of a guy with a purple truck, but I stopped paying attention to this case several months ago, just awaiting the arrest.
But a couple of things in this thread that I would like to comment on:
1) Regarding HIPAA rules - the use of computers documenting any and all things that transpire at a doctor's office, is not cool, IMHO. I had a runin with this last year. My primary doctor had just the prior month given me an Rx and I then went to my yearly Retina doctor for exam, and the nurse is going over with me all the Rx I still take, and mentions the one I had just gotten a month earlier. I said to her, "How do you know about that? I never told you about it. I have not been here in a year!" She says it is in the system that is used by doctors, etc. (BBM)
As soon as I got home I called Blue Cross/Blue Shield to complain and threaten legal action. I told BC/BS "Any medical person with a clearance, totally unrelated to me, even out of state, a low-level nurse's aid, can gain access to mine or anybody's medical records because it is now in a medical system!?!? How can this be allowed? I never gave permission to my primary doctor to share anything with anybody, and yet my information is in an accessible, nationwide computer medical system!"
This is a severe problem that is being ignored and not being addressed, with all the talk about advancements in care. The only benefit from this new system is that if I get in a car accident and am unconscious, taken to a trauma center's ER, they will be able to know my medical history and not have to wait in making decisions on how to treat me.
Personally, I would rather run the risk, and not have my information in the system.
......SNIPPED......