Quote:
Originally posted by sebastian_dangerfield
As it is in defamation cases, truth should be an absolute defense against charges of unnecessarily harsh criticism.
“Dear _____:
It appears that you are obese, and therefore, Dr. _____’s statement was merely diagnostic No punitive action is warranted.
If you wish to appeal this board’s finding, please consult
www.amihotornot.com. A score above 7.0 will be considered a grant of appeal.”
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Friend of mine was described by another friend of mine as being "obese with pendulant breasts." In writing, no less!
She was partially offended, but really couldn't complain too much because it was a description in her medical record by her cardiologist right before (or after, I can't remember when he wrote it) she had a heart valve replaced. It was an accurate statement that was relevant to her diagnosis and treatment.
I do HIPAA lectures from time to time for healthcare professionals, and under HIPAA, patients have a right to request an amendment to their medical record. I use this anecdote all the time as an example of when health professionals can politely tell patients to fuck off on the amendment request. The patient is more than welcome to put a statement disputing the record, but the record is going to continue to say that she is "obese with pendulant breasts."
