[nagdu] confidentiality

[Tracy Carcione]

I agree with Julie J.  I don't see any reason why I shouldn't have access
to my guide dog records.  After all, I have access to my medical records,
and they seem much more personal to me.  I guess it would be reasonable,
if a school wanted a reasonable fee for copying or mailing, but I should
be able to obtain them, and do with them whatever I wish.  An instructor
once told me that the reports they write about students tend to contain
jargon, like abbreviations for the way my feet turn out, but I bet most of
it is comprehensible.  And mostly dull.  But if I want it, I should be
able to get it.  And if I want to give it to my lawyer, or my sister, or
some dude I met on the bus, that's my lookout.
Tracy

> Jenine,
>
> I've been thinking about this a lot.  I haven't come up with any brilliant
> insights.  I do think anyone should have total and unrestricted access to
> their own records from any facility, whether that is a guide dog program,
> mental health provider, doctor or educational institution.  I also believe
> that the person has the right to share those records with whomever they
> choose.  But that brings us to the sticky part.  I don't think that third
> party should be sharing that information with whomever and wherever they
> feel like it, without express permission.  But that's an ethical issue, I
> don't know what the legal answer would be.
>
> At work when I have clients sign release of information forms, I specify
> what the information will be used for and what I can do with it.  Along
> with
> that release of information is a confidentiality agreement that more
> clearly
> spells out how information is shared.
>
> Interesting stuff
> Julie
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 3:10 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] confidentiality
>
>
>>I have a question for those wanting full disclosure of situations
>> involving
>> third parties to this list.
>>
>> If someone had an issue with a rehabilitation center, any rehabilitation
>> center, but particularly one of the NFB centers, could he or she obtain
>> his
>> or her own personal records, say to prove staff conflicts. Could a third
>> party acting as advocate then pass details of those records along to
>> public
>> email lists or hold other kinds of discussions about them without
>> jeopardizing any legal action?
>>
>> I honestly do not know the answer to these questions so am posing them
>> here
>> for the more learned minds. It would seem to me that regardless of the
>> agency, you are asking, and by "you" I mean anyone who believe he or she
>> has
>> the right to read someone else's records, with or without that person's
>> permission, to have complete access to any personal records of anyone in
>> question. Consider how you might feel if your own personal records with
>> any
>> agency, guide dog school, rehabilitation center, mental health facility,
>> medical facility, were leaked or otherwise made openly available.
>>
>> Yes, it might lead to some uncovering of poor policies, staff
>> inappropriate
>> behavior, etc., but it could also lead to much sensitive information
>> about
>> individuals being aired publicly in a less than completely objective
>> manner
>> to a less than objective audience.
>>
>> Just something to consider.
>> Jenine Stanley
>> jeninems at wowway.com
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.com
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net
>