The Debate over Digital Health Records

Franklin,

I don't recall saying that 'saving money and being comfortable is more important than liberty.' I was speaking about electronic health records and privacy concerns. I believe that you may have taken too great an intuitive leap in jumping from one to the other.

Personally, I am very conscious of privacy matters and fully recognize the potential for loss of privacy in our digital world. However, I am also a pragmatist and, as such, recognize that much, if not most, of privacy is an illusion. The sad truth is that each time a new user connects to the internet for the first time, another citizen's privacy is lost or about to be lost. It's been shown time and time again that people will, for the most part, sell their privacy for a simple promise of FREE SHIPPING or a $10 OFF coupon.

It would be wonderful if we could somehow go back in time and reinvent our digital world with an eye on protecting each others privacy, but we can't. While I certainly accept the premise that true liberty carries with it a guarantee of privacy, I would argue that liberty does not depend completely upon the exercise of that guarantee.

"I don't recall saying that 'saving money and being comfortable is more important than liberty.' I was speaking about electronic health records and privacy concerns. I believe that you may have taken too great an intuitive leap in jumping from one to the other."

What???  I was not saying that YOU said that.  When I wrote, "pure idiocy", I was not referring to your thoughts or your assessment, but rather what was being proposed....in other words, my problem was not with your description or your assessment, but of the proposal itself.  It was my understanding that you wanted our thoughts about THIS ISSUE, not with your description of it.  Obviously I was mistaken.

If you want us to comment on an issue, then fine.  Please make that clear.  If you want to quibble over our comments, then frankly I'd rather just keep them to myself.  Don't invite our comments then slam them.

Franklin,

It was unclear as to what you were referring to with the comment, 'pure idiocy.' I read it as a knee-jerk response to my position and felt compelled to reply.

However, if, as you state, I misinterpreted your comment, then I do apologize and hope that you will continue to participate in the discussions.

Jake

Gloria,

While I sympathize with your situation, and agree that the doctors office is no place for on-the-job training, the problem here seems to be the doctor and his staff, not the fact that he has placed your medical records in an electronic database. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that perhaps it might benefit both you and your doctor if, the next time you are in his office, you tell him how you feel and give him an opportunity to respond.

Jake