Post a random thought

[gingele]

Wait, did I just read gripes about the government going to great efforts to protect an individual's right to privacy?

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by PlayaGroom

I hate writing reports

Especially when the final product is being read by the fed government...

(and, I made it without peeking at all yesterday!!)

I noticed you were MIA!

rant:

Why are some people such control freaks??

I just e-mailed Don awhile ago, saying I had heard a compliment here at work about him (he used to work here until almost a year ago) and also that I was going to be bringing home supper and it was to be a surprise.

So now he won't stop e-mailing me and asking me, no BEGGING me, to tell him what it is. Sheesh.

I told him delaying gratification is good for the soul.

But I don't think he buys that...my cell phone just rang and I ignored it. Jesus H Murphy man, be patient!

I love surprises. I don't get it!

[isomami]

At the respectable age of 39 I am about to leave an offer for an apartment for the first time in my life. An own place after 20 yrs of rentals... You might call that a very thorough decision making period.

[Bumper]

Originally Posted by PlayaGroom

I hate writing reports

Especially when the final product is being read by the fed government...

I bet you wouldn't mind so much if you thought it might actually accomplish something. Always in doubt when the guv'mint is involved.

Originally Posted by PlayaGroom

(and, I made it without peeking at all yesterday!!)

Congratulations. What admirable restraint.

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by gingele

Wait, did I just read gripes about the government going to great efforts to protect an individual's right to privacy?

I know, you are right in the sense that idealogically speaking, we shouldn't really complain.

The idea is a good one. It's the method and execution that sometimes results in a bit of a headache.

And when you are an open book like me, who cares about privacy??

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by isomami

At the respectable age of 39 I am about to leave an offer for an apartment for the first time in my life. An own place after 20 yrs of rentals... You might call that a very thorough decision making period.

congratulations!

[isomami]

Originally Posted by Rissask

congratulations!

It's not mine yet, but even a thought about it makes me happy. And I've been very happily living in my nice rental so far. The whole idea of this place hit me a week ago! And today the bank said yes

[gingele]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I know, you are right in the sense that idealogically speaking, we shouldn't really complain.

The idea is a good one. It's the method and execution that sometimes results in a bit of a headache.

And when you are an open book like me, who cares about privacy??

I guess I just don't really think the alternative is a good one. You may consider yourself an open book, but it's not just about access to information but about the misuse of that information by people who aren't necessarily looking out for your best interests.

But I appreciate the frustration expressed here - I deal with this stuff regularly in my professional life whether it is first hand or having to listen to my client's bitch about it. The real truth of the matter is that the relative ease of the post-death administration stuff all depends on the brain power of the beurocrat or civil servant who happens to pick up the phone when you call or receives the sheaf of paperwork you send in....

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by gingele

I guess I just don't really think the alternative is a good one. You may consider yourself an open book, but it's not just about access to information but about the misuse of that information by people who aren't necessarily looking out for your best interests.

But I appreciate the frustration expressed here - I deal with this stuff regularly in my professional life whether it is first hand or having to listen to my client's bitch about it. The real truth of the matter is that the relative ease of the post-death administration stuff all depends on the brain power of the beurocrat or civil servant who happens to pick up the phone when you call or receives the sheaf of paperwork you send in....

Nail meet head. Ain't that the truth! That is the most frustrating part....AND when you can get an actual person on the phone, that is a rarity too - although that is common in both gov't and private businesses, so that complaint doesn't really apply.

and honestly, yes, I agree- the benefits outweigh the negatives in the big picture, and it's better this way than the alternative.

[Rissask]

I do think the example I gave is one where they have gone a bit overboard though- with the 'no giving out of medical information' to anyone on the phone.

Like, theoretically if my grandma was in the health centre down in the town where she and my mom live, and my mom was on duty that day and I called and got her on the phone- legally she would not be able to tell me if my grandma was even alive.

[Uno]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I do think the example I gave is one where they have gone a bit overboard though- with the 'no giving out of medical information' to anyone on the phone.

Like, theoretically if my grandma was in the health centre down in the town where she and my mom live, and my mom was on duty that day and I called and got her on the phone- legally she would not be able to tell me if my grandma was even alive.

Colleen is a manager of 3 departments in a local hospital. And we we live in a fairly small community. She knows so much about so many people we know is literally can't talk about work at all at home. Not to mention EVERYONE calls her to try and extract information they can't get elsewhere.

I don't know if I could keep a secret like that from a friend or co worker. (Even though that's her job) I will say "Oh so and so had such and such done" "Yes I know." "Why did you say it like that?" "No reason." She could work as a spy with that skill.

[gingele]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I do think the example I gave is one where they have gone a bit overboard though- with the 'no giving out of medical information' to anyone on the phone.

Like, theoretically if my grandma was in the health centre down in the town where she and my mom live, and my mom was on duty that day and I called and got her on the phone- legally she would not be able to tell me if my grandma was even alive.

Not sure how it works there, but here, grandma could certainly authorize the release of otherwise private information regarding her heath status to anyone of her choosing. It has to be in writing, but once done it should be made part of her file and then the staff would know who they can release such information to.

If grandma can no longer make informed decisions on her own behalf regarding her healthcare, then a surrogate decision-maker would HAVE to be in place in order for the medical team to have someone with the authority to make decisions for grandma (such as an Agent acting under a Healthcare Power of Attorney or a court-appointed Guardian). That surrogate decision maker can in turn grant whatever necessary authorizations are needed in order to disclose what would otherwise be considered private information to those named on the authorization.


Could you either have grandma or her surrogate decision-maker just fill out the authorization form at the nursing home granting you access to that info? And aren't I much more fun on vacation?

[Bumper]

Hey, I have no argument that an individual has a right to their privacy and personal information should be held in confidence. Especially when it comes to seniors, like my mother, who is 90, and severely limited in her abilities. These people do need protecting. But it's been taken to ridiculous extremes.

Let me give you an example. My wife worked in one of our major hospitals for over 30 years. She was a senior medical technologist, and occasionally had to go onto the wards to collect blood for specialized testing. If she were to walk into a room or ward and and find an acquaintance there, she would not be allowed to even say hello to them, unless they were to initiate the contact. Also, she could not visit with them unless she had been previously informed by them or their family that the person was in the hospital. But if she happened to be walking down the hall in the hospital and run into someone who was a visitor, not a patient, then it's okay to stop for a chat. And the fines for any sort of infraction are significant. Ludicrous.

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by gingele

Not sure how it works there, but here, grandma could certainly authorize the release of otherwise private information regarding her heath status to anyone of her choosing. It has to be in writing, but once done it should be made part of her file and then the staff would know who they can release such information to.

Originally Posted by gingele

If grandma can no longer make informed decisions on her own behalf regarding her healthcare, then a surrogate decision-maker would HAVE to be in place in order for the medical team to have someone with the authority to make decisions for grandma (such as an Agent acting under a Healthcare Power of Attorney or a court-appointed Guardian). That surrogate decision maker can in turn grant whatever necessary authorizations are needed in order to disclose what would otherwise be considered private information to those named on the authorization.

Aren't I much more fun on vacation?

yes, you sure are!



good lord, was that all off the top of your head??


i have no idea of the actual wording of the law, I just know what my mom bitches to me about! And frankly, maybe SHE has misunderstood the details of it too, who knows?


or maybe she was talking about in the very early stages, if someone is brought in as an emergency case and someon called right away. It is a small town and everyone knows each other, so that is part of it too.

What you said makes a lot of sense though. It should be like that, the release of info with her approval, and then a surrogate if need be.

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by Bumper

Hey, I have no argument that an individual has a right to their privacy and personal information should be held in confidence. Especially when it comes to seniors, like my mother, who is 90, and severely limited in her abilities. These people do need protecting. But it's been taken to ridiculous extremes.

Let me give you an example. My wife worked in one of our major hospitals for over 30 years. She was a senior medical technologist, and occasionally had to go onto the wards to collect blood for specialized testing. If she were to walk into a room or ward and and find an acquaintance there, she would not be allowed to even say hello to them, unless they were to initiate the contact. Also, she could not visit with them unless she had been previously informed by them or their family that the person was in the hospital. But if she happened to be walking down the hall in the hospital and run into someone who was a visitor, not a patient, then it's okay to stop for a chat. And the fines for any sort of infraction are significant. Ludicrous.

But then I think...

what if I were in the hosptial getting my, oh I dunno- hemorrhoids stripped, and I didn't want to talk to anyone who I knew because then I would have to talk about it- and then my husband's ex girlfriend who is a nurse there, walks in...

yup I think maybe I want to pretend not to know her