STAT: Privacy laws are hurting the care of patients with addiction

https://www.statnews.com/2018/07/13/privacy-laws-patients-addiction/

Excerpt:

Privacy must be considered in any meaningful discussion about sharing medical records. An individual’s health information is private and, if shared inappropriately, could cause great harm. For my patients with substance use disorders, inappropriate disclosure of their treatment can be devastating. Prejudice against people with opioid and other substance use disorders can lead to job loss and rupture of important relationships. Ironically, this prejudice can extend into the medical community, leading to sub-par treatment. I have had too many patients hide their opioid use disorder diagnosis from their other doctors, fearing judgment and poor treatment.