Is your naturopathic “doctor” talking about you on the Internet?

[HuckleB]

http://www.naturopathicdiaries.com/is-your-naturopathic-doctor-talking-about-you-on-the-internet/

"I was not going to write about the recent “Naturopathic Chat” forum leak. But then, while having dinner tonight, I had a dark thought: What if my hypothetical naturopath (or real doctor) were talking about me, my medical history, family, and other personally identifiable information in a web forum with a readership of 3,300 members? And what if this so-called private venue had a known spy–someone who was lurking, reading, and sharing these posts with others across the Internet?

If you are a naturopathic patient, the likelihood that your naturopath is chatting about you online is high. You are at risk of being a victim of a HIPAA violation.

The patients of real doctors, that is medical doctors, do not need to worry as much, if at all, about this kind of regular breach of privacy because chatting online about patients is considered highly unethical and is vehemently discouraged by any legitimate medical profession. For naturopaths, however, who have little sense of what is ethical, let alone legal, online forums are places where they engage in melees of transgression and ineptitude.

...

Having said that, what bothers me the most about the NatChat leaks is that naturopaths display an utter disregard for preserving patient anonymity. Now that I am aware of how other medical professionals conduct themselves, naturopaths seem entirely in violation of health privacy laws. The naturopaths in this online forum know, for certain, that someone is sharing their messages. And yet, they continue to ask questions with inappropriate details that can lead to compromising the identity of those under their care.

..."

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The utter lack of professionalism among Naturopaths just never seems to end.