Medical secretaries- Confidentiality

Gael23

I was wondering what information would a doctors secretary know about you as a patient? Would they have access to the same notes the doctors do or less than that.
I went in a while ago and my usual doctor wasn't available. I said to the secretary that it was a visual thing so I felt I should see the same doctor who had seen me for it in the past. She replied with a knifed of odd smile and said it will be on your file so it gave me an impression she knew what the problem was

L1011

Generally they will have full access to records on IT systems, although pretty much every system on the market lets the practice manager / surgery principal / whoever takes the role of administrating the IT system control access to records.

Some surgeries I supplied would have had receptions unable to do anything more than book appointments and edit name/address details but these were by far and away in the minority.

Gael23

Thats what I was thinking. She never once let on she knew anything and maybe she didn't, I don't know.
Is there any information that is only between you and your doctor?

L1011

ryanf1 wrote: »

Is there any information that is only between you and your doctor?

Not in an out-of-box configuration for any of the record management systems on the market, no. Once its recorded in a PMR its, by default, visible to other staff.

All the systems allow locking down - with various levels of ability and granularity at that task depending mostly on how old they are.

Maura74

England are selling patients information to private firms therefore confidentiality goes out the door.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10250585/Jeremy-Hunt-plans-to-give-anonymised-patient-medical-records-to-private-firms.html

drkpower

I would have thought that the word 'anonymised' would have been an important word to include when summarising that story^^^^.

Not that issues don't arise, but very very different issues.

L1011

Maura74 wrote: »

UK are selling patients information to private firms therefore confidentially goes out the door.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10250585/Jeremy-Hunt-plans-to-give-anonymised-patient-medical-records-to-private-firms.html

That's of zero relevance here - we don't even have a centralised GP PMR in the first place, and we also have better data protection laws.

BanzaiBk

I work in a hospital And handle hundreds/thousands of patient records a month. I see every detail of people's medical and social history. I have to if I am to do my job correctly. Do I retain or care about any of it? Not really, no. Sometimes you'll remember something but it's just a vague recollection. Often one of the doctors will say "do you know X? The patient with the *problem*? I want that chart now" and I'll have to root around a few charts looking for the right person. Those are the realities of the system we have. I'm not reading information for my own benefit and take no enjoyment from it. There are so many patients one just blends into another.

Chances are the secretary has typed up referrals/letters for you on the GPs behalf and she remembered off hand and was just trying to assure you that you'd be looked after. Even more the chances are that she was just trying to assure you that all records are the same so it didn't matter who saw you.

Maura74

MYOB wrote: »

That's of zero relevance here - we don't even have a centralised GP PMR in the first place, and we also have better data protection laws.

Sometimes what happens in the UK Ireland follows. The problems with what is happening in England is that patients were not informed of this happening therefore they had no say in it.

If insurance companies get their hands on patients information and they have serious illness they will not be insured them or will be charged very high premium to get insured.

If they are selling information like this some large firms will not want to employed people if they are aware of their medical details.

Not a good policy for the government to adopted.

L1011

Maura74 wrote: »

Sometimes what happens in the UK Ireland follows. The problems with what is happening in England is that patients were not informed of this happening therefore they had no say in it.

We can't follow. The database they have doesn't have an equivalent here and our data protection laws are stricter.

Maura74 wrote: »

If insurance companies get their hands on patients information and they have serious illness they will not be insured them or will be charged very high premium to get insured.

Its anonymized data, and we apply Community Rating for health insurance. Life insurance etc already requires a PMA report or full medical anyway.

Maura74 wrote: »

If they are selling information like this some large firms will not want to employed people if they are aware of their medical details.

Again, its anonymized data.