{"id":94,"date":"2018-09-29T03:41:45","date_gmt":"2018-09-29T03:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/khoo.com.au\/?p=94"},"modified":"2018-09-29T03:50:30","modified_gmt":"2018-09-29T03:50:30","slug":"trust-me-im-a-doctor-please-dont-take-it-for-granted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/khoo.com.au\/index.php\/2018\/09\/29\/trust-me-im-a-doctor-please-dont-take-it-for-granted\/","title":{"rendered":"“Trust me, I’m a doctor” – please don’t take it for granted"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cTrust me, I\u2019m a doctor<\/strong>\u201d is so universally\u00a0\"\"accepted that we don\u2019t even have to say it. Patients know that they can trust their doctors implicitly. What are we asking patients to trust us with though? The current debate or argument about the pros and cons of opt-in or opt-out with MyHealthRecord<\/strong> may endanger the trust patients have in their doctors. Let us dissect and discuss trust in a doctor-patient therapeutic relationship.<\/p>\n

Patient trust that doctors will do our utmost solely for the patient benefit. \u201cWhatever you think is best for me, doc\u201d is what we commonly hear from patients. We should feel honoured by that statement as it basically says to us that they have trust<\/strong> that we will look after them. Embedded in that trust though, without saying, is that they expect us to be on top of our game to make those medical decisions for their good. Patients expect that we stay up to date and the treatment they receive is according to world best standards.<\/p>\n

Patients also trust<\/strong> that we keep their medical information private and confidential. It is pretty much accepted by all patients and doctors that what is discussed in the room stays in the room although we still have minors occasionally double checking with \u201cnow, you won\u2019t tell my parents what I am about to tell you\u201d. Of course, we qualify that privacy and confidential issue with \u201cyes, as long as your life is not in danger\u201d.<\/p>\n

Patients\u2019 trust<\/strong> in us to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of their medical records extends to who else get access to their records. The concept of the trusted third party<\/strong> is also fairly well accepted when patients placed their trust in us. Patients put their trust<\/strong> in our judgement as to which third party we can trust<\/strong> to hold or have access to their medical records.\u00a0 They expect and trust us to do the due diligence before we allow a third party to access the records.<\/p>\n

So, where does MyHealthRecord feature in this concept of trust<\/strong>? I remember vividly that maintaining patient\u2019s confidentiality was drummed into us within the first week of medical school. As doctors, we all understand the importance of the concept. We are happy to pass on medical records to another fellow colleague (subject to patient\u2019s consent, of course) because we know that he or she feels the same way about this giant issue of privacy and confidentiality<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

But can we trust the custodian of MyHealthRecords to share the same level of maintenance of privacy and confidentiality of patient information? Can we trust<\/strong> an agency who sees the issue of privacy and confidentiality as an afterthought? We are clearly not on the same page. Many of you who has young children would double check that the family your son or daughter is sleeping over will pass your \u201c100 point check list\u201d before agreeing to leave your child there overnight.<\/p>\n

The Australian Privacy Principle (APP)<\/strong> has a special category for health information. The Australian Privacy Principle 11 states that If an\u00a0APP\u00a0entity holds personal information, the entity must take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to protect the information:<\/p>\n