Revised Ethical Code of Conduct for the Group

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

 

After receiving various emails off-list and being in consultation

with a number of members, i have revised the ethical code of conduct

for the group. Please review the text below. Your comments are

welcome in this important consultation exercise.

 

An ethical note about using the discussion group.

 

If we discuss a patient's case study we may wish to forward that

information to the patient for them to see. When trying to take into

account the much popularised autonomy of a patient, we often give

them too much information which they cannot understand. This group

deals with TCM at it's student and practitioner level and so

involves complex organ theory and terminology. I feel that within

this and other discussions groups, who are largely based upon people

with a keen interest in TCM, discussion is directed towards the

benefice and non-maleficence of the patient, and are a good way in

which we can discuss and grow our therapeutic skills.

 

However, when we email outside the group, to the patient directly

(and not to other TCM practitioners that may be in a position to

help), then confusion will often result. This is really autonomy

gone mad. Even though we strive to build a close therapeutic

relationship with our patients, a certain degree of decorum must

exist.

 

Therefore anything information discussed within the group should not

be directly emailed to the patient, but rather taken on board by the

practitioner and if they really wish, be translated in such a way as

to be easily digested by the patient. All our comments, the names of

the commentators and email addresses should remain private and

within the domain of the group.

 

When asking the group for advice about a patient you have, please

only provide the minimal amount of information about the patient to

the group. Do not include the patient's name, location or any other

information such as govt. I.D. numbers to the group. This helps to

protect the patient's identity in what is a public domain.

 

Kind regards

 

Attilio

[Guest guest]

Hi Attilio!

 

The case numbers on my cases are a *very* complicated in-house number, not

a government number. All who may have been concerned about that, rest easy.

 

At 05:23 AM 4/9/2004, you wrote:<snip>

>only provide the minimal amount of information about the patient to

>the group. Do not include the patient's name, location or any other

>information such as govt. I.D. numbers to the group. This helps to

>protect the patient's identity in what is a public domain.

>

>Kind regards

>

>Attilio<snip>

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

Have looked at the United States Department of Health and Human

Services, http://tinyurl.com/37s5u and found this section which

states that patient information may be provided in the interests of

patient treatment. although this is not given in relation to a

closed discussion forum such as this. Please note that this group

only contains healthcare professionals unlike other groups,

therefore the group may fall into this area. I've also emailed

and others regarding this and i'll keep the group posted.

 

May a health care provider disclose parts of a medical record that

were created by another provider?

 

Question:

 

A provider might have a patient's medical record that contains older

portions of a medical record that were created by another previous

provider. Will the HIPAA Privacy Rule permit a provider who is a

covered entity to disclose a complete medical record even though

portions of the record were created by other providers?

 

Answer:

 

Yes, the Privacy Rule permits a provider who is a covered entity to

disclose a complete medical record including portions that were

created by another provider, assuming that the disclosure is for a

purpose permitted by the Privacy Rule, such as treatment.

 

Attilio

 

Pete Theisen <petet@a...> wrote:

> Hi Attilio!

>

> The case numbers on my cases are a *very* complicated in-house

number, not

> a government number. All who may have been concerned about that,

rest easy.

>

> At 05:23 AM 4/9/2004, you wrote:<snip>

> >only provide the minimal amount of information about the patient

to

> >the group. Do not include the patient's name, location or any

other

> >information such as govt. I.D. numbers to the group. This helps to

> >protect the patient's identity in what is a public domain.

> >

> >Kind regards

> >

> >Attilio<snip>

>

> Regards,

>

> Pete