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

Re: advice sought: patient records in manuscript collections

• Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997 16:32:07 PST
• To: sthc-l@library.ucla.edu
• From: John Bolcer <BOLCER@FOLEY.GONZAGA.EDU>
• Subject: Re: advice sought: patient records in manuscript collections
• Message-ID: 69137531490@FOLEY.GONZAGA.EDU

We have a rather unusual collection, so our practices may not be much 
help, but nonetheless...
We receive a lot of medical records and medical histories from 
still-living donors.  On their donation agreements, the donors must 
indicate whether or not they wish their materials to be contributed 
confidentially (NOT anonymously) since all of our materials are open 
to the public.  Identifying information is redacted from the records 
of those who wish to contribute confidentially, and the records are 
referred to soley by an identification number.
On a related topic, we have had a number of donors indicate that they 
do not want their identities available to the general public, but 
want medical researchers to be able to contact them.  We haven't had 
any policies approved yet, but we've discussed making a waiver 
available for donors to sign if they wanted us to inform them when 
researchers are interested in contacting them.
--John Bolcer
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
John Bolcer              "Originality through incompetence"
Assistant Archivist                          
Hanford Health Information Archives
Foley Center Library, Gonzaga University
Spokane, WA  99258-0095
(509) 324-5932
bolcer@foley.gonzaga.edu