Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Confidentiality Awareness

"What? You are just going to fax the letter over like that?" I asked, as my colleague was going to fax a letter regarding one of our patients to the patient's company. The company requested it, and the patient was aware - he came to sign a consent form (ah wow such thing exists?!) but he isn't allowed to even look at the letter. So yea, he gave consent for us to disclose his illness to his workplace, without quite knowing what his doctor wrote about him.

"Yes! The patient isn't allowed to read it so we can't give the letter to let him bring to the company! I'm just going to call to make sure that they get the letter" (they? who?!)

I guess most of us know where a fax machine is placed in an office in most companies. Usually anyone who walks past it can check and look at the incoming fax. Chances are the fax may then be passed from one to another (in a larger company, maybe office boy, secretary, some other "caring" colleagues). I feel so bad that this was done. I don't blame my colleague or anyone in the clinic, but the whole awareness about confidentiality issue in Malaysia is just low, very low. When I was trained in the UK, confidential used to be such a big issue. In the uni we had one whole 5 credits module about ethics and confidentiality; At work, we had one whole hour training about protecting patients and staff confidentiality.

Having watch this, I will be so careful to sign any "consent" form in the future. I mean we all as patients or service users or some kind of participants should understand where those private information about ourselves is going and what they are used for. Remember you always have your rights, don't be afraid to fight for them. It may take quite some time till we actually get there like in many developed countries, but it will not happen if nobody is fighting for it.

I hope people in the practice gain more awareness and give more respect too. Imagine this was you, would you be happy that your some sort of medical/financial report or ability test etc is passed around in your workplace or among some unknown people? 

4 comments:

Vivian Tan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vivian Tan said...

yea, i wouldn't want that happen, but i guess this is only one of the issues that is different from foreign world...

U might discover more, but anyways just dont be discouraged...I kept on telling myself to stay positive as my brother who back home from oversea always complained how the system in Malaysia is uncivilized...

huibee said...

I'm not discouraged, in a way I was writing hoping to raise more people's awareness, I believe it's going to take time.

I decided to come home myself, and I prepared myself psychologically months before I landed back here, I won't say that I never complain (e.g. about the crimes and traffic), but I accommodate quite well I'd say. Thank you for your encouragement still :) This is what we all need, to stay positive and keep moving forward... :)

yonghan said...

I agree with what you have said... privacy awareness is much needed in Malaysia, heck, even schools are posting student results openly! We need to start somewhere, right?

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