The only trapped miner to survive last week's explosion in West Virginia developed a slight fever on Monday, according to his doctors. Randal McCloy Jr. remains in critical condition, and he's still connected to a ventilator even though he is now breathing on his own. Is there any private information the hospital can't give to the press?Technorati Tags: HIPAA, Slate, Randal McCloy
Yes. Under federal privacy rules, doctors can give the press (and the public at large) only the most general information about a patient, called "directory information." They can confirm that a specific patient has been admitted to the hospital, and they can give a short assessment of his overall condition. (Most assessments are just one word—good, fair, serious, or critical.) If a patient is conscious and alert when he comes into the hospital, he's given the option to keep even this general information under wraps.
I'm Dr. Joshua Schwimmer, a nephrologist and internal medicine physician in New York City. • Kidney Notes was the first active nephrology blog. (Trivia: Kidney Notes is so old that the National Library of Medicine still uses it as an example of how to formally cite blogs.) • Professionally, you can find me at Kidney.nyc. • Kidney Notes is for educational purposes only, not medical advice. Consult qualified health care professionals. See disclaimer.
Monday, January 9, 2006
"Surviving Miner Develops Slight Fever" - How much detail can doctors give the press?
Slate on HIPAA: