Our Health Data Rights

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Permalink Reply by Michele on June 25, 2009 at 11:45am

Yes. Here's the comment I left at the site: Two things come to mind for me when I read this. 1) I once wanted prescription glasses from an online retailer. They, of course, needed my optical prescription. I called my eye doctor, and they tried to refuse me! I believe it’s because they also sell glasses. I responded, “I’m sorry, but I believe that’s part of my medical record and therefore the information is legally mine. What are you going to do about it?” She flustered around a bit before saying she’d mail it to me. 2) Both of my children are special needs. Between the various specialists, therapists, pediatrician, as well as school officials - I wish I could just keep all the information myself. The process of signing over the ok to release the info, and then depending on the office administrators to actually SEND the info is obnoxious, and costs me time in treating my sons. I am not a child, thank you. Thanks for writing this post!

As an aside - Doctors are trained in a service industry. They deserve respect for their knowledge, but they are providing a service that they are paid for. I, as the consumer, want anything that has to do with me. They're judgment as to what is disseminated to me, as both the individual in question - as well as a paying consumer - is irrelevant as long as I'm a legal adult who is not incapacitated. If a minor, or an incapacitated adult it needs to go to the parent/legally responsible adult. Of course, I'm all for responsibility in terms of the information. But too many times, I've been pat on the head and told I'm fine, without being allowed to see numbers myself. Yes, I want a doctor to interpret, but that doesn't mean I don't have the capacity (and right!) to look at the numbers too.

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