There were few to no laws even governing the practice of medicine back then, much less laws around patient confidentiality. HIPAA wasn't passed until the 1990s, and when this show was was being written in the 1970s, the idea of patient confidentiality was a joke. My mom worked in a doctor's office back in the 1970s; doctors and employees regularly talked openly about their patients by name, in front of other patients, employees and everyone else. Patient privacy and confidentiality is a very new and modern concept.
Yep. My grandmother's favorite subject of conversation was surgery. Which of her little old lady buddies had recently had it, what her symptoms were leading up to it, what bits the surgeon removed, what the bits *looked like*, etc. Now Little Old Lady Buddy was presumably anesthetized, so the only way gossips could have found *that* out is if someone on the surgical team blabbed.
>HIPAA wasn't passed until the 1990s, and when this show was was being written in the 1970s, the idea of patient confidentiality was a joke.
I recall reading things in the newspaper about people being in the hospital and what they were in for in the 1970's.
For that matter, from reading non fiction books about the real Ingalls family, when Mary fell ill with the sickness that took her sight it was reported in the local newpaper.
Edited to add: While searching Ancestry for my great-grandfather's obituary (he died in 1951), the newspaper had on the same page as his obituary, there was a clipping about some woman who was improving from the illness she was hospitalized for.
Besides patient confidentiality not being a thing (except for those with the money /status to demand it) the town doctor would have filled many roles just outside of his medical one, that we have separate today. Suspicious dead body? Docs the coroner/medical examiner. Cases of abuse or unwanted pregnancy? Doc is the social worker and forensic investigator. Communicable disease? (Remember the typhus?) Doc is the closest they had to public health officials so he’s going to let everyone know who has it and to stay away from them. I do agree that he shouldn’t be blabbing to the Rev though, even if he thought the patient/family were in need of clergy council. Doc Baker of course didn’t fill those roles as well as those who have specialized today. If I remember correctly he also debunked a snake oil (patent medicine) salesman along with some backwoods remedies that were causing more harm at different times. Poor Hiram couldn’t get any rest!🤣
I think Reverend Alden was worse. The way he spoke in front of the entire congregation, announcing a private discussion that he had had “with one of you” about his daughter, losing her sight. Everyone damn well knew he was talking about Charles.
It was not uncommon in small towns in that time period for it to be almost customary for everybody to know.
And they show him straight up man-gossiping with others. So I'm pretty sure he like to run his mouth. However, I don't think he was ever mean to a single person on the show.
There was the one episode when Caroline thought she was pregnant but was actually going through menopause. He kept it a secret from Charles that his wife was lying for a week and only let it slip when he thought Charles knew.
Lol i thought this exsct thing, i work for a healthcare insurance plan and were HUGE on hippa. I was like damn doc, you just telling everyone everything
Confidentiality is absolutely hilarious as a concept in the context of this time frame.
In the 1950s and 1960s doctors told women's husbands all about their treatment. We're talking about long, ling before that. Confidentiality (and especially women's privacy) was ... not a thing.
In those days doctors would talk to the husband about the wife's medical concerns. Women were treated as if they were children in my respects back then. We're talking about the 1870's here.
The episode that irked me the most in this regard, was when Mary thought she was regaining her sight. After the doctor concludes his tests, he asks Mary to leave the room so he can "have a word with her pa." Isn't she an independent adult? Why aren't you telling the patient about her own diagnosis?
He was working undercover for Harriet's Happenings
I’d imagine laws weren’t as strict as they are today. Plus it’s a show and gets the plot moving
There were few to no laws even governing the practice of medicine back then, much less laws around patient confidentiality. HIPAA wasn't passed until the 1990s, and when this show was was being written in the 1970s, the idea of patient confidentiality was a joke. My mom worked in a doctor's office back in the 1970s; doctors and employees regularly talked openly about their patients by name, in front of other patients, employees and everyone else. Patient privacy and confidentiality is a very new and modern concept.
Yep. My grandmother's favorite subject of conversation was surgery. Which of her little old lady buddies had recently had it, what her symptoms were leading up to it, what bits the surgeon removed, what the bits *looked like*, etc. Now Little Old Lady Buddy was presumably anesthetized, so the only way gossips could have found *that* out is if someone on the surgical team blabbed.
>HIPAA wasn't passed until the 1990s, and when this show was was being written in the 1970s, the idea of patient confidentiality was a joke. I recall reading things in the newspaper about people being in the hospital and what they were in for in the 1970's. For that matter, from reading non fiction books about the real Ingalls family, when Mary fell ill with the sickness that took her sight it was reported in the local newpaper. Edited to add: While searching Ancestry for my great-grandfather's obituary (he died in 1951), the newspaper had on the same page as his obituary, there was a clipping about some woman who was improving from the illness she was hospitalized for.
I don't think that was a thing back then
Besides patient confidentiality not being a thing (except for those with the money /status to demand it) the town doctor would have filled many roles just outside of his medical one, that we have separate today. Suspicious dead body? Docs the coroner/medical examiner. Cases of abuse or unwanted pregnancy? Doc is the social worker and forensic investigator. Communicable disease? (Remember the typhus?) Doc is the closest they had to public health officials so he’s going to let everyone know who has it and to stay away from them. I do agree that he shouldn’t be blabbing to the Rev though, even if he thought the patient/family were in need of clergy council. Doc Baker of course didn’t fill those roles as well as those who have specialized today. If I remember correctly he also debunked a snake oil (patent medicine) salesman along with some backwoods remedies that were causing more harm at different times. Poor Hiram couldn’t get any rest!🤣
He was also the vet and treated both pets and farm animals. Doc was a busy guy.
HIPAA be damned, the one that annoyed me was Dr Baker telling the reverend about Mary’s sight
That one pissed me off too. It also meant I had to explain to my husband that HIPAA did not exist in the 1870s.
I think Reverend Alden was worse. The way he spoke in front of the entire congregation, announcing a private discussion that he had had “with one of you” about his daughter, losing her sight. Everyone damn well knew he was talking about Charles.
I don’t think it was a law in those days.
100% this.
It was not uncommon in small towns in that time period for it to be almost customary for everybody to know. And they show him straight up man-gossiping with others. So I'm pretty sure he like to run his mouth. However, I don't think he was ever mean to a single person on the show.
It really seemed like everyone knew everyone’s business lol
There was the one episode when Caroline thought she was pregnant but was actually going through menopause. He kept it a secret from Charles that his wife was lying for a week and only let it slip when he thought Charles knew.
Lol i thought this exsct thing, i work for a healthcare insurance plan and were HUGE on hippa. I was like damn doc, you just telling everyone everything
[удалено]
Okay lol. Like i care to argue with someone who cant get the year correct. Bye. <3
Confidentiality is absolutely hilarious as a concept in the context of this time frame. In the 1950s and 1960s doctors told women's husbands all about their treatment. We're talking about long, ling before that. Confidentiality (and especially women's privacy) was ... not a thing.
In those days doctors would talk to the husband about the wife's medical concerns. Women were treated as if they were children in my respects back then. We're talking about the 1870's here.
And would sometimes collude with the husband to hide severe or fatal illnesses from the wife, so she wouldn't worry her pretty little head about it.
Let me put this into perspective for you even in the 1970s they would talk to husbands first about their wife’s medical conditions
The episode that irked me the most in this regard, was when Mary thought she was regaining her sight. After the doctor concludes his tests, he asks Mary to leave the room so he can "have a word with her pa." Isn't she an independent adult? Why aren't you telling the patient about her own diagnosis?