Political Quotes

“Our Nation's HIPAA patient privacy laws should be improved to allow for compassionate communication between doctors, primary caregivers, families, and patients. Recently, the editorial board of the Observer-Reporter joined the conversation in support, citing a specific instance in Greene County, Pennsylvania. They wrote: Christopher was arrested in early December and attacked police officers at the scene. Witnessing his erratic behavior, the officers decided to take him to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. Christopher was released from the hospital after there was apparently no communication between the hospital's medical staff and the arresting police officers. Less than 4 weeks later, Christopher was shot to death by his brother, Ryan, in what Ryan and others described as self-defense. If only the doctors were allowed to share limited, critically important information with the family, with law enforcement, and with supportive community specialists, this tragedy could have been avoided. The leading predictor of success in treatment for a person with serious mental illness is family involvement. We must change Federal regulations to help, not block, treatment. Until then, there will be more sad stories like Christopher's every day. ____________________”