The New York herald., 1921-01-16

Special Gable to THE NEW YORK HEaALD.
Copyright, 1921. 6y TIE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
London, Jan. 10.
A new scheme for keeping the health
record of wage earners under the law
which requires all Of them to be in
sured is arousing considerable protest
IN England, especially among the
panel doctors,' who are required to
make the examinations and keep the
records.
The trouble has been caused by the
new record cards for insured patients
which were issued the first Of the year.
These cards when properly filled out
constitute a concise medical history OF
every person concerned. When per-
son moves from one district to an
other he or she is required to for
ward the card to the new place of resi-
dence where it must be examined by
at least two sets of officials.
AS the cards are kept in what is
known as window" envelopes it Is not
a difficult matter TO learn the medical
and it Is this to which the physicians
are objecting. Such a system, they say,
does away altogether with the unwritten
law that the secrets of the consulting
room shall not be revealed. Another OBJ
lection is that the card system and the
transfer regulations will force some
physicians TO employ a staff of clerks
to keep the card records for them.
One physician writing to the London
Times expressed himself as follows on
the subject: I'm common with ali other
panel practitioners / have received the
new record cards for insured patients.
They constitute q permanent, lifelong
record of every wage earning man ana
woman, and are to be sent from panel
doctor to panel doctor whenever the pa
ti1nt changes his doctor or home. These
cards may be seen by any official In
the doctors house or in transit through
the county Insurance committees Of
fices BY means of these cards profess
sional secrecy is completely at an end.
and this may in some instances prove
a decided handicap to persons who after
early mistakes are trying to lead a clean
and upright life. How can we doctors
know that improper uses will not be
made of the information supplied or that
leakage may not occur in the offices or
in transit of the cards?
'If only the insured population knew
of this quite new violation of the Sc
crecy Of the consulting room they would
refuse to be insured any longer. The
act Is none too popular and the poor no
less than the rich know how 70 value
the doctor who keeps his mouth shut"
what the Cards Contain. f-o
On the front of the new record cards
the insured person is required to write
his name the branch of his society
membership number. address and sub
sequent addresses. the doctors name.
occupation, changes and years OF
changes and the age at first attendance.
On the back of the cards a record OF
clinical notes and diagnosis by the doc
tors is kept.
An official of the Ministry of Health
explained that although the open or
window" envelopes would be used when
the cards were transferred, only the side
OF the card showing the name. address,
occupation. &C.. would be visible. THE
only way the information can get out Is
il doctor loses his sense of professional
honor" he said. However as the cards
pass through the hands of various COM
mittees and clerks employed by these
committees. It is quite possible for infor-
nation to be obtained under conditions
entirely beyond the control OF the doc
tors.
DR.. Cox. secretary OF the British
Medical Association. was most positive
In his assertion that the new record card
system in no way violated the principle
OF medical secrecy. 'If there had been
any chance OF secrecy being violated the
association would have been the first to
protest" he said. "Only the medical
officers OF the Ministry will have access
to the records for statistical purposes.
and the association is satisfied that this
privilege will not be abused"