21 Jan

Summary of Unit #6 & Welcome to Unit #7 - Confidentiality Instructor Drager

09
Summary of Unit #6 & Welcome to Unit #7 – Confidentiality
Hello everyone,
Last week we spent time looking at concepts dealing with medical records. Medical records
must be kept current. They reflect the medical history of a patient which affects their past,
current, and future health. Ownership of medical records is not necessarily obvious. Why
doesn’t the patient, as a rule, own their own medical records? Why are there times that a
patient’s access to their health history is limited? These are all topics that we discussed.
This week we will be learning about another important healthcare topic --- confidentiality. We
will now be exploring the confidential nature of medical records. And, this concerns even
medical information which may not be written down. Hippocrates 2400 years ago made it clear
that any and all information provided by a patient to their physician was private and
confidential. It is not for public dissemination, idle gossip, or to be made fun of. Federal statues,
such as HIPAA discuss concepts as protected health information. There are consequences for
violating a patient’s trust in disclosing confidential healthcare information to unauthorized
persons or entities.
Medical information goes beyond the physician-patient relationship. Medical research, medical
billing, ambulance companies, and clinical laboratories are also subject to HIPAA.
I look forward to the week as we continue our look at medical law, ethics, and bioethics. See you
later on tonight at the seminar and during the week in the Discussion Board.
Here are your tasks for unit #7 – Confidentiality (January 21 – 27, 2009):
1. Read chapter 10 (“Confidentiality in Medical Practice”)
2. Participate in the Discussion Board
1. First substantive post is due by Saturday, January 24;
2. You must respond to the question (there is only 1 discussion board question this week);
3. You must post on a minimum of 3 separate days;
4. The Discussion Board is where we continue our learning throughout the week;
5. Unit material, critical thinking, conceptual understanding, spelling, grammar, and substance
are important…this means an investment of your time for which you will reap the rewards of
achieving your goals, your aspirations, and your profession!
3. Participate in the Seminar
1. Please come prepared by having read the reading assignments prior to the seminar so that the
learning process has a common base for us all;
2. If you miss the online seminar, then please complete and submit Option #2 to my Dropbox no
later than Tuesday, January 27 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
4. Submit Project to my Dropbox no later than Tuesday, January 27 by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
5. Complete exam no later than Tuesday, January 27 4 by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
Remember
The Home Course Page provides you all with the opportunity to post comments or questions
under both the Course Questions and Project Questions tabs. Oftentimes the comments or
questions of one of you challenge your classmates in the same fashion. I check these areas of the
Home Course Page frequently and respond promptly. Please take advantage of this.
My office hours are on Wednesday 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. In addition, I am
available by appointment. Just send me an e-mail and we will schedule a mutually agreeable
time to meet. My AIM ID is pdrager23. Come and meet with me if you have a question or
concern. Or, send me an e-mail at pdrager@kaplan.edu if you have concerns that need to be
addressed privately.
Completing the course assignments, and doing so on time, is to your benefit. If you have
problems in doing so, then please contact me ASAP.
Have a great week.
Prof. Drager