Originally Posted by
JBird
You’re wrong on this big John. Here is the quote:
”The agency hired former staffers from its Office of Aerospace Medicine to help review the cases as contractors, but told them the nature of their work was secret, according to people involved in the project.”
If the reporting is correct, then overall effort was kept secret. Not specifically targeted investigations based on credible information.
you can type a million words in obfuscation which seems to be your MO so that you can win and argument by attrition, but secret means secret. That should not be the business of a government agency with no law enforcement authorities.
Also, still don’t understand the personal attacks. Do you work for the FAA and I have offended you?
OF COURSE REVIEWING THEIR MEDICAL RECORDS WILL BE KEPT SECRET. IT’S Required by law.
Permitted Uses and Disclosures
The law permits, but does not require, a covered entity to use and disclose PHI, without an individual’s authorization, for the following purposes or situations:
- Disclosure to the individual (if the information is required for access or accounting of disclosures, the entity MUST disclose to the individual)
- Treatment, payment, and healthcare operations
- Opportunity to agree or object to the disclosure of PHI
- An entity can obtain informal permission by asking the individual outright, or by circumstances that clearly give the individual the opportunity to agree, acquiesce, or object
- Incident to an otherwise permitted use and disclosure
- Limited dataset for research, public health, or healthcare operations
- Public interest and benefit activities—The Privacy Rule permits use and disclosure of PHI, without an individual’s authorization or permission, for 12 national priority purposes:
- When required by law
- Public health activities
- Victims of abuse or neglect or domestic violence
- Health oversight activities
- Judicial and administrative proceedings
- Law enforcement
- Functions (such as identification) concerning deceased persons
- Cadaveric organ, eye, or tissue donation
- Research, under certain conditions
- To prevent or lessen a serious threat to health or safety
- Essential government functions
- Workers’ compensation
Hiring back previous medical and administrative personnel to help sort the wheat (actual threats to flying safety like an unreported seizure disorder -
yikes) from the chaff (the guy didn’t report his 10% disability for flat feet….meh). Is a totally reasonable way to do this since they are already familiar with both HPPPA and the issues involved, not some Machiavellian plot. Who do you think they ought to let go through these peoples medical records and how transparent do you think it should be?
And I don’t think you have so much offended him personally as offended common sense with your paranoia and attempt to make this something it isn’t.