STHC-L: The Science, Technology and Health Care Archives Forum

advice sought: patient records in manuscript collections

• Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 16:01:51 -0500 (EST)
• To: sthc-l@library.ucla.edu
• From: Russell A. Johnson <rjohnson@library.ucla.edu>
• Subject: advice sought: patient records in manuscript collections
• Message-ID: SIMEON.9702101651.A@dyn-college0-26.library.ucla.edu

I am preparing a presentation to our special collections advisory 
council and campus legal counsel, which will then refine our policies 
and procedures for access to and use of patient records in our 
manuscript collections. I would like to solicit advice and other 
information on practical, legal, and ethical considerations that are 
involved when an archival/manuscripts repository has collections of 
personal papers which include patient medical and psychological 
records, such as:  

	- unsolicited exploratory inquiries or "cold calls" from people
	   with problems who saw the doctor in a news report or journal
	   article and are looking for advice or referrals
	- individual case histories / personal case files
	- notes, tapes, and transcripts of interview or therapy 
		sessions
	- correspondence with patients, their families, patient 
		advocates, etc.
	- referrals to or from other doctors
	- case conference and grand rounds presentations
	- test results (e.g., psychological test batteries) on large 
		numbers of identifiable individuals.
	
If your repository has dealt with this issue and created 
acquisition, processing, access and use guidelines (including 
restriction statements, statements of understanding that researchers 
sign, etc.), I would appreciate receiving a copy.  If you created a 
report which outlines why and how your institution arrived at its 
policies and procedures in this matter, that would also be most 
helpful. 

On a related point -- when was this issue last presented as the focus 
of a Society of American Archivists session?  Would it be timely to 
discuss this at the Roundtable meeting this fall, and then work up a 
session proposal (co-sponsored by the Privacy and Confidentiality 
Roundtable?) for the 1998 meeting?  (I would be interested in 
spearheading or joining in such a session, if there is interest and a 
perceived need.)

Thanks in advance for your help -- please consider posting some replies 
to the List, too (until some subscribers say "enough, already!").


Russell 

________________________________________

Russell A. Johnson        (310) 206-2753
Archivist, Science Collections
Department of Special Collections
University Research Library, UCLA
Box 951575   Los Angeles CA   90095-1575

rjohnson@library.ucla.edu