Sillliness
If I write about it, maybe the annoyance will go away.
Fairest of the fair took my mother to the hospital this morning for a scheduled test at 7:00 am. At 8:15, I went by to pick her up, asking at the information desk for directions to where that test was conducted. The path led to the second floor, where a fellow poring over an EKG said, "No, not here. Try radiology down stairs", with directions. Nice, helpful guy. At radiology I provided her name, the name of the test, said I was there to pick her up, and asked for information about her location. I was told, "I can't release any information. Wait in that room."
Uh, OK, and I waited. Then I waited. Eventually my cell phone rang. Bad reception, but it could only be one source. I called back and found out where my mother was REALLY waiting -- and had been for 30 minutes before I got there. We were in different waiting rooms, different departments, 100 yards apart, and probably would be there still if not for the chance call.
Yes, I understand about HIPAA regulations, privacy concerns, and the overpowering need for secrecy in today's world, but isn't there some limit on how stupidly that can be carried out? Must people be so overwhelmed with fear of lawsuits, fear of regulations, and near total lack of reason that they can't find a way to convey that the test is down the hall, or to find out where the patient is?
Are we really all afraid, or are we just too bored or too self-centered to do a reasonable job of interacting with the public?
Do you suppose the annoyance will go away, or must I write to the hospital, providing the daily amusement for administration?
Bah. Humbug!
posted by AkLewy at 12:57 PM
1 Comments:
Harry Browne (past Libertarian presidential candidate) has a good article on the right to privacy here:
http://www.harrybrowne.org/articles/PrivacyRight.htm
In essence, he says that the right of the government to take away privacy is not one enumerated by the Constitution and is therefore one that we have automatically. Of course, I think this particular logic is a little strained (although I agree with most of his article) because it means we can invent just about any right we want and all of a sudden we all have it. When that so-called right then infringes on someone else's so-called rights, we then end up with something that's just a big mess with people running around asserting their rights at each other. Oh, wait, that's what we have now.
You also have the problem of different asserted rights for the same person interfering with one another. You present a perfect example: your mother's right to privacy and your mother's right to be picked up promptly by her son when he arrives.
What we really need is not a right, but a responsibility. In this case, and many others, what we need is a responsibility to apply common sense and courtesy to our fellow man. It would have solved your situation nicely. Of course, most people have little incentive to push for legislation that enforces their own responsibilities and plenty of incentive to push for legislation that enforces their rights.
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