Patient Privacy

[Doczilla]

We're only going to see more of this. We are the YouTube generation. Everyone has a cell phone with a camera, and more and more idiots are going to be taking pictures and film of stupid stuff like this so they can get their 15 seconds of fame. Everyone thinks that they could be filming the next Rodney King beating.

'zilla

[Harold1]

It's funny you brought this up, because we face this problem on a daily basis in Aruba. At every MVA or other situation the photographers and camera-men will pop up out of nowhere. If they don't make it to be on scene in time, they'll pop up upon arrival at the ED. The most gruesome frontpage pictures of dead people seem to sell the best. It's horror when you have to deal with rather painfull situations and the same fight starts over and over again between the patient, his family and the paparazzi.

I find it even more disgusting to see everything in detail in the newspaper the next day, especially when it concerns private issues of the patients.

We can't really stop it. It's useless even trying. I do my best to get my patients in the ambulance as soon as possible with the doors closed. Sometimes I cover their faces with blankets when we get out at the ED. That's about it.

What I certainly don't do, is provide information to the media. They keep trying, because some medics DO provide them with the information they want.

[Christopher.Collins]

The privacey thing pretty much applies to you not violating it. I mean yea sure the patient could use privacey all together in any situation though, and is entitled to it... but there isnt a whole lot you can do in this scenario.

It probably wont work at a bar but Ive been through this scenario dozens of times. The company I used to work for provides ALS coverage to the Foxwoods Resort casino. Being on "crew" as we called it, I had a shift there. And the things you see when it comes to getting between a person and gambaling. We'll get a call for chest pains at the poker tables... get there and a guy could be slumped over circling the drain, and everyone around him will keep playing. Hell people will crowd around, not to watch or make things difficult, just to play. The slots even, we could have a patient on the ground at a slot machine... and someone leaning over them using their machine.

Anyways to my point. The security was great there... considering some are Security/EMS. We have BLS backup and regular security will usually bring a bunch of sheets and make a wall around the patient. Again, wont work at a bar.... but if they can spare the people and have some table clothes, it helps.

I remember another instance at a dunkin donuts where a women went into active seizures as I ordered my breakfast, right at the (one and only) door. People started climbing over and around us... even when I threatened to have them temporarily detained (police were just arriving and my old dept works great with them). Even after the store opened its back delievery doors for customers, they still climbed over us.

But yea, get used to being just a peice of meat to Joe Public... one of thoes "yea I was there stories."

[Harold1]

I thought it was weird when I arrived at a casino two weeks ago for a code and everyone was busy playing their slotmachines. Our patient was lying right there in the middle of a whole crowd. Nobody started CPR.

[sirduke]

[/font:6770b60613] Even here in rural Georgia, we deal with the same issue, cameras flashing as you try to work on your patient. And it never fails that they catch you in the worst moment, or the patients worst moment.

What really chaps me is when they want you to comment on the patient's condition, and ask what their chances are.

I understand that we need freedom of the press, but we also need decency and tact within the press.

[Richard B the EMT]

A videographer was shooting thru the door of my ambulance, which had to remain open due to nessesary patient treatment. I walked up to him, and said, "You're trying to do your job, but part of mine is to try maintaining the patient's privacy. Any chance we could acomplish both?"

He continued shooting, but from further back.

[Kls]

A few weeks ago had went to crash . Small car verses SUV pulling a Skid Loader. Before we even got to the scene people were flocked around the small car taking pictures on their cell phones of the critically injured patient who later died. No one tried to help either patient in either car but took the time to get their pictures.

How sick some minds can be and if i catch one more idiot, hope they can run real fast :evil:

[Richard B the EMT]

Nice thoughts, Kls, but then, go after one, the others photograph YOU going after that one.

I have no clear answer on how society should address this one.

Anybody?

[iMac]

Sure it happens. Happens more often than what you realise it's just you are to busy doing your job. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do. You are out in the open, it's a public area and as much as you would like to help out your patient, there isn't much you can do. It's case dependant.