On Today's Front Page: Just Wondering

"Ruling may give patients key to records on their doctors."

First of all, let me say if there is a doctor or nurse or physicians assistant who represents a danger to the lives of patients, then the State Medical Board of Quality Assurance investigates in order to get these guys out. It's not a perfect system. It relies heavily on peers being willing to rat on one another, patients filing complaints, hospital boards deciding to penalize an MD. If they decide an MD should have his or her license revoked they they publish the lists of doctors in the local papers and on the internet.

Second, there are for-profit watchdog groups on the internet that do this, such as Healthgrades, where anyone can write anything --justifiable or not. You get on bad mark on Healthgrades, and then you are stuck dealing with "Joe" in India trying to get the mark expunged.

So now, a consumer group has sued to get all the private data about your MD released.
And it may or may not be the complete victory they're making it out to be.
Knowing how litigious our society has become, the interpretation of some MD's records might be harder to interpret than anyone thinks.

For instance.... did you know that whether or not an MD sees a patient, if he or she is listed on the charts as even having consulted via the phone, that the patient or the family can sue? That's right, whether or not the MD was responsible with the outcome, his or her name gets listed by the personal injury attorney as a plaintiff.

But I guess it was a matter of time before this happened. We have so many lists and services that privacy isn't an option anymore. However, I'm not sure any MD wants a trial by media, or trial by picketing at their house or office. To quell any kind of controversy, patients will end up paying in many ways.

First the premiums will go up. Why? Because in order to play it safe, patients will find themselves paying for more tests than they've ever had before. But it's not that easy. Those tests might need authorization from your HMO, others might not be covered by your PPO. And you'll end up waiting, paying, or both.

And then there's the other side. Some doctors may choose to do nothing for a patient at all, rather he'll refer the patient away to another MD. Does the consumer win? Not really.

But here's the kicker: while you might be able to get your MD's records, and they might be fine (most likely will), he or she will not be able to get the same information on the odd patient who is litigation addicted. They have to treat them, even if that patient has a history of pressing needless suits.

So, I wonder... if the MD is giving information out about himself, should he get to pick and choose who he wants to serve based on prior record of litigation?