Originally Posted by
Watcher 
I read in the RR book last night about agencies that keep records of alchoholics and the dangers of being labeled one. I recently went to a physician for headaches. The doc determined that the headaches were a result of high BP from another med and smoking. Theory was that since I had stopped consuming alcohol regularly, my BP spiked a bit and the "self medicating" had stopped so I was actually cognizant of the pain.
I never told the doc I was an alcoholic or even alluded to having a problem with drinking, I simply said, "It's time to grow up a bit, so I stopped drinking".
Anyone think I need to be worried about this? I'm sure the MD noted the reduction of comsumption as a cause for the headaches as they prescribed a med to lower it. This should be covered under the privacy laws, correct?
Hi watcher,
I read medical cases for a living, and you would be shocked at how LITTLE doctors put in their charts. Unless it was the "Chief Complaint" you were being seen for, I'd forget about it. Even if it were the "CC", the coding for this kind of stuff doesn't include alcoholism as a diagnosis. Alcoholism as a label isn't even in the DSM axis diagnoses (psych diagnoses) and it wouldn't likely be in your medical record for high blood pressure. Even THEN, medical records are not "discoverable" unless there is a lawsuit or an agency request granted by court order to look at them, which is highly unlikely unless you were being sued in a DWI lawsuit.
Lots of info, yes. I don't think you need to worry. This, however is the reason I think it is a BAD IDEA to put medical records on line where any hacker can get at them.
FT