A West Tennessee physician and clinic owner plans to defy a state health department order he received by email that demands he provide detailed information about patients who test negative for COVID-19.
He is also encouraging Tennesseans to voice their concern to state representatives and local health departments about what he calls “a fundamental invasion of their privacy.”
“The state has no right and no legitimate or compelling medical reason to get this information about patients who are merely seeking medical care,” said Dr. Jimmy Hoppers, owner of Physicians Quality Care in Jackson and Milan, “After giving this much careful thought, I have decided to respectfully decline to provide the information requested by the Tennessee Department of Health. In our opinion, the reporting of negative test results without the patient’s consent is a clear violation of HIPAA statutes and individual rights.”
It could also deter people from getting tested for COVID-19, he said.
“Under the guise of ‘protecting the public health and safety,’ the Tennessee Department of Health is directing physicians to give them information that includes a patient’s name, address, phone number, birth date, race, sex, when the patient saw the doctor, the name of the doctor, the test performed, the patient ID number, and more. They are threating physicians who don’t comply with $500-a-day fines, legal action and dismissal from the federal Medicare program.”
Physicians Quality Care will, of course, continue to provide data on all positive COVID-19 cases, Hoppers added. And, it can provide the state with the number of negative test results so the state can determine positivity rates.
“However, if the patient doesn’t have the disease, is not contagious, and therefore obviously presents no danger to the ‘public health and safety,’ what right does the Health Department have to invade that patient’s privacy? What does it plan to do with this data? Who will have access?”
“And, where does it stop? Does this mean that next year we will be compelled to report all negative flu tests? Flu is a communicable disease like C0VID-19 and is spread exactly the same way; it kills tens of thousands of Americans each year. Or will the state want to know the names of patients who have positive pregnancy tests under the guise of making sure the woman is getting adequate prenatal care and has the resources to care for her child?”
Hoppers is encouraging people to contact their local county health departments and state representatives.
“Let them know enough is enough. This is about our right to seek medical care without Big Brother looking over our shoulder. If we let big government get away with this, we have no one to blame but ourselves.”
Physicians Quality Care, located on Pleasant Plains Extended in Jackson and South First Street in Milan, offers urgent care and primary care. It is open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, visit physiciansqualitycare.com.
