Why Aren’t Medical Records Public Information in Fort Myers FL?

It’s not a bad thing to be curious, but sometimes curiosity can cross the line to the point of being unethical and potentially even harmful. That’s the case when it comes to wanting to get into the nitty-gritty details of an ex-partner or old high school bully’s medical information by making a few Google searches of them online. It seems harmless, but if it lands in the wrong hands, it can cause serious havoc. But unfortunately for you, this information isn’t public.

But what about searching for your own medical records online? Why isn’t this free, public information for you? Well, allow us to explain.

HIPAA Protects United States Citizens’ Medical Information

Here’s the thing: the Internet doesn’t know exactly who you are when you’re looking for medical information of someone, or even yourself, online. You could be a complete stranger looking up “Jane Doe’s” health records online, posing to be Jane Doe herself. Even if you are, in fact, Jane Doe, your computer won’t necessarily know that. Your computer may “have an idea” of who you are based on your I.P. address and the Wi-Fi network you’re connected to, but it doesn’t know “you” or your name or if your next-door neighbor, David, is using your computer to search up such personal information – or if it really is you, whoever you is.

That’s one of many reasons why information such as medical information should not be publicized on the Internet because anyone would be able look for it and read it – or, heck, even screenshot it and post it all over Facebook or Snapchat.

But why does it matter if health information lands in someone else’s hands, you say? Well, according to Bill Clinton’s HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, sensitive personal health information must be kept private between a patient and medical professionals – the general public cannot know a patient’s very private medical information. So, if health information like medical records were present on the Internet, this would be breaking this law and result in serious charges for whoever publicized such information.

Your Right to Privacy is More Important Than You Might Realize

You still may have questions as to why health information cannot be posted on the Internet for anyone to look up, HIPAA aside. Well, if HIPAA wasn’t a thing and even if it wasn’t deemed unethical for someone’s personal medical history to be out in the public eye, having public medical records could be a very bad thing.

Imagine getting shut down by an employer for your dream job because you have mental health disorder. Imagine the guy or gal you’ve been seeing for a month suddenly tell you that they can’t see you anymore because your medical history is too extensive. Imagine getting harassed at your job because you received an optional reconstructive surgery in the past. Imagine dreading making a much-needed trip to the doctor merely because you don’t want to be diagnosed or treated for a medical condition you deem embarrassing that will later end up on the Internet for everyone to know about. The list goes on and on. Simply put, having your personal information out there can be dangerous, let alone, potentially humiliating.

Thankfully, your medical information is as kept as private as possible, but if you do need access to your records, you can contact Order Medical Records today to potentially get a copy of yours. Call us at 714 559-3071 at your earliest convenience.