Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Modest Proposal: Reassessing "The Gallbladder in Room Six"

A physician walked into an outpatient department waiting room and asked for the family of a patient he had just operated on. The attending nurse called out a number, like a deli. The family came forward. Afterwards, the nurse corrected the doctor for using a patient's name as it violated HIPPA confidentiality laws. Numbers were to be used instead.

Perhaps instead we could all be given aliases when we are born. We could have two names like two sets of accountant's books, one to be used in real life and one when governmental agencies require privacy. We could pick them like avatars: Red Rider, Comanche 107, Hot Metal, STDemon.

Speaking of STDs, it might be of interest to know that everyone with a positive STD test must be reported to the government. No HIPPA there. And they must report their sexual contact. But those guys are ahead of the curve. The girls all report Jay-Z, the boys give up Angelina Jolie.

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