Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

I have a pile of papers stacked on top of my computer tower in a pile that could be labeled the "do something with this later" pile.

Sometimes, it takes me awhile to get back to them, but when I'm scraping for ideas, like today, I look through them and see what grabs me.

This one has been sitting on top of my computer since my doctor's appointment, earlier this summer. They had updated their privacy policy, and we were expected to read through it and sign it.

To be honest, I signed the form before I got a good look at it, but then while waiting to be called in, I had time to give it a more thorough perusing.

It starts out standard enough, "We are required by applicable federal and state law to maintain the privacy of your health information." Then they listed the typical uses or disclosures of health information, to health care providers, family and friends, and persons involved in care.

Then it gets weird.

"We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law," the form states. Then it goes on to say that they are required to disclose health information to appropriate authorities in cases of suspected abuse or neglect. This is standard practice and has been so for years.

This next paragraph is what threw me:

"National Security: We may disclose to military authorities the health information of Armed Forces personnel under certain circumstances. We may disclose to authorized federal officials health information required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities. We may disclose to correctional institution or law enforcement official having lawful custody of protected health information of inmate or patient under certain circumstances."

So, since when is my pap smear an issue of national security?

I'm sure there are instances where health information could be an issue of national security— like, if a one-armed man stole the microchip — but I still feel kind of ookie realizing that Big Brother can take a peep at my health records whenever he fancies. Call me old-fashioned, but I thought you needed a warrant for that.

As soon as I read that paragraph, I wanted to march up to the desk and tell them I'd changed my mind; I wasn't signing the new form. But then again, what choice would that be? Walk away from the doctor's office without getting my annual checkup? And no doubt any other hospital is now under the same federal mandate.

My concern is not because I have anything to hide but simply because the minute we give up privacies, the minute we are vulnerable to future abuses by the system. That's not to say that they're going to abuse health care information gathered without a warrant, but it enters the realm of possibility now that we've all signed these forms, acknowledging their right to do just that.

I only hope that, next time, I'm not asked to sign a form allowing them to install tracking devices or miniature cameras during the course of my annual exam.

Copyright 2003 by Alyce Wilson

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