Jehovah's Witnesses as medical records employees, and Medical Privacy laws.

by Balaamsass2 20 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  Balaamsass2

  This subject has been brought up before. The Governing Body and Watchtower have repeatedly encouraged JWs to show loyalty to the organization to "keep the Congregation clean" by reporting wrongdoing to the elders.

  I know directly of two cases. Two JWs working in the records department of our local hospital "outed" 3rd Gens 1st husband to the local elders when he and his mistress sought medical treatment together for stds. -She was happy to find out, and both sisters kept their jobs. Hubby #1 got disfellowshiped and she got a divorce.

  The 2cd was a case of a JW working in medical records of a famous SF Bay area teaching hospital who turned in a young JW girl for an abortion. She was outed to my body of elders and disfellowshiped.

  I heard many other cases of inside information and records being shared by JWs with inside information at many types of offices when I worked at Bethel.

  Has anyone heard of more recent cases of "leakers"?

  (The USA regulation regarding medical records is: HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.)
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  smiddy3

  I think they should have been exposed and held accountable for breaching the privacy act.
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  zeb

  smiddy3

  I agree fully.

  If any jw outed any patient here they would have their arse stung well and proper. and, the word would be out they would NEVER get any such job again.
  
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  Anna Marina

  Odd, this is a group of people with a growing reputation for covering over child abuse.
  
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  DesirousOfChange

  It will take a successful lawsuit that gets into the deep pockets of WTS before they see the need to change anything.
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  LongHairGal

  DESIROUS OF CHANGE:

  I totally agree with your post.

  BALAAM:

  I have worked with Witnesses and I have NO use for them.....Not just because of them wanting extra time off for meetings, etc. and not available to do OT - but because of disregarding of privacy laws. This is a very serious matter and has not gotten enough publicity.

  They will leave a disaster in their wake without a single thought about any trouble they cause!! ..All because they are wanting to please the religion at any cost to anybody.

  In my opinion:..Unless and until JWs can be loyal to an employer and LEAVE the religion at the door - they should stick to cleaning toilets or other self employment before inflicting themselves on some unsuspecting employer and causing a fiasco wherever they go!
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  DesirousOfChange

  but because of disregarding of privacy laws.

  This is something that insurance companies need to wake up about because, ultimately, they will be paying for the lawsuits that result for damages from the lack of confidentiality. But it's a "sticky wicket" -- how do they take action toward any group because of their "religious beliefs"? That would just be another whole set of lawsuits.
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  Diogenesister

  I think this is very relevant given Dark spilvers current predicament.

  The general public needs to be aware that there is no such thing as a “ safe”Jehovah’s Witness “ professional”. In each case they very likely to breach their rule on confidentiality in favour of Watchtower. I say “ safe” because you may find individuals who do not breach confidentiality, either for financial reasons or because they’re PiMO. But I wouldn’t want to risk it, would you?

  Edited to add, I’m guessing in both those instances Baalams ass they didn’t have TWO witnesses!!!
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  careful

  This is an interesting topic. It makes me wonder if medical employers will soon begin asking specific questions during interviews with prospective hires like, "Are the are any reasons you might feel the need to break patient confidentiality?" and/or make all employees sign statements that would make them personally liable for damage done for such breaches. It might also make lawmakers stiffen the penalties for violating such laws, say, from making them civil to criminal.
  
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  Bill Covert

  Read Barbara Andersons article " Flawed Decrees Conceal Criminals" on her site.