Medical records database

A proposed database containing everyone's medical records is not popular with everyone:



But opponents say EHRs represent a major violation of a patient's privacy, mostly because records would not only be accessible to health care providers without patient consent but any number of other people and organizations up and down the line.



Currently, all of a person's financial records are available to almost anyone. I can go to any bank, car dealership, furniture store, or mortage house and within seconds they can have my financial history. Of course, I must give my permission in order for some one to do a credit check. I don't see how medical records would be any different. Even though the wrong people could obtain my credit report (and identity theft happens often), the system is still in place. I wonder if each person could be given a type of card that was needed to access the records. If you go to the doctor, you would give him your card. With one swipe, he could access your records. There could also be some type of emergency override a doctor could use if you didn't have your card on you. There would obviously be some missuse, but I think the benefits far outweigh them.

I like this point the dissenters make:



Finally, say critics, patients who encounter problems with their physician such as a personality conflict, misdiagnosis or malpractice situation could have that conflict put into their records from the physician's standpoint (patient non-compliant and difficult; threatened to sue) and, even if the problem was legitimate, that would make it more difficult for them to find other physicians willing to treat them.



This exact situation occurred in an episode of Seinfeld. Elaine upset a doctor, so no other doctor would see her after looking at her records. It was a very funny episode.