have a strange question....

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
have a strange question....
3
Wed, 05-18-2005 - 5:27pm

i don't know if this is something that is done with every tdoc or just the ones here in my county, but when i started going 5 years ago, every time i would get a new tdoc i would have to sign a release form and list someone to whom my information could be divulged to. if any of you are familiar with this consent, can you tell me what happens to that, along with your case file when you leave that particular tdoc? i know it's my own paranoia messing with me, but this thought occurred to me and all i can think is that the people i've listed on these forms can use the information to harm me in some way. i've got a call in to my tdoc, but i don't know if she'll get back to me tonight since i go in tomorrow, but this really has me in a panic.


if any of you can offer any advice i'd really appreciate it.


traci

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-21-2003
Wed, 05-18-2005 - 11:53pm

With the new HIPPA laws in effect, they have to have permission from you to divulge any information about you to others. Whenever I have those forms to fill out, I only let my family doctor receive information.

I have several friends who are nurses and asked them this question before I posted. One said that if say, your husband called to find out info and his name wasn't listed, they couldn't tell him anything at all.

hope this helped a little bit.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Thu, 05-19-2005 - 6:23am

thank you for your reply. i'm not sure why exactly the thought even occured to me, but my paranoia kicked in to over-drive and i was convinced someone was going to intercept the information and use it against me to ruin me. tdoc also got back to me and she said that, at least when i signed on with her, she had me list my family doc. i guess my real concern is with the previous 4 tdocs, 3 of which i think are safe because i'm almost certain i named my lawyer (was going through a divorce at the time) but the 4th one for some reason i'm thinking my mother, which is not good at all, since she seems to be a big trigger for me. i need to call the county today to have them pull my old chart to see who it is and go from there. but after talking to pdoc and reading your reply i may not even need to do that. after i said it out loud, i realized that it was probably just my paranoia and tdoc agreed. so i'm not sure if i'll call or not.


it was just really weird, not to mention scary. i was on my school bus driving down the road and the thought occurred to me and sent me into a panic so bad that i broke out in a sweat. but there was nothing going on around me that would have triggered it. i hope the increase in seroquel helps prevent that from happening again. i can handle the fear that i'm being watched but that other one i don't want to encounter that again.


thanks again for your help and support.


traci

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-21-2003
Thu, 05-19-2005 - 10:51am

Traci --

The only person I have listed to receive information is my family physician. Due to some marital issues, I don't want my husband to be able to find out anything at all. I don't want my mother being able to get information, etc. I know exactly where you're coming from. Knowledge is power, and I refuse to give power over me to someone else.

Hope you're having a better day today.

HUGS