Comments for Clinician-to-Clinician: A Forum for Health Justice http://migrantclinician.org/blog Brought to you by the Migrant Clinicians Network Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:56:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 Comment on Are Social Security Numbers Required for Health Care? by TL Tipton http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/11/19/ssns/#comment-12 TL Tipton Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:10:15 +0000 http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/11/19/ssns/#comment-12 I guess I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist myself. You have <a href="http://www.healthmethod.com" rel="nofollow">health information</a> and you have completely unnessessary information. There are an infinite number of ways to identify a patient other than using unrelated information. The requirement by medical professionals for you to supply your SS# is a bit "Big Brother" for my taste. I am not a fan of the medical industry to begin with, (by the way, I have spent my entire 21 year working career in that industry). Perhaps that is why I would never trust any health organization enough to share my SS#. In the meantime, my private information will remain private and my personal medical providers will have to sufice with just my nessessary <a href="http://www.healthmethod.com" rel="nofollow">health information</a>. I guess I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist myself. You have health information and you have completely unnessessary information. There are an infinite number of ways to identify a patient other than using unrelated information. The requirement by medical professionals for you to supply your SS# is a bit “Big Brother” for my taste. I am not a fan of the medical industry to begin with, (by the way, I have spent my entire 21 year working career in that industry). Perhaps that is why I would never trust any health organization enough to share my SS#. In the meantime, my private information will remain private and my personal medical providers will have to sufice with just my nessessary health information.

]]> Comment on Authentic Voices by drose http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2008/04/17/authentic-voices/#comment-11 drose Thu, 15 May 2008 18:29:43 +0000 http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2008/04/17/authentic-voices/#comment-11 I think they are great and wish that more people would be able to see and listen to what it means to be a Farm worker and the kinds of things they deal with. Prehaps these clips would be available for education in the communities we live and they work in. I do in service, about the Migrant Farm worker and health care needs, at a a local college, nursing class and most of the students know very little about the Farmworker or their life. These would be great insites I think they are great and wish that more people would be able to see and listen to what it means to be a Farm worker and the kinds of things they deal with.
Prehaps these clips would be available for education in the communities we live and they work in.
I do in service, about the Migrant Farm worker and health care needs, at a a local college, nursing class and most of the students know very little about the Farmworker or their life. These would be great insites

]]> Comment on Authentic Voices by nclloyd http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2008/04/17/authentic-voices/#comment-10 nclloyd Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:29:52 +0000 http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2008/04/17/authentic-voices/#comment-10 I loved these videos... our commuter wiz developed one, that is a mind stopper. We have people watching it and crying. The general population does NOT understand what the farmworkers go through, nor how they live ... America as a whole is spoiled and need to open their eyes !!! I loved these videos… our commuter wiz developed one, that is a mind stopper. We have people watching it and crying.

The general population does NOT understand what the farmworkers go through, nor how they live …

America as a whole is spoiled and need to open their eyes !!!

]]> Comment on Mercury injections? by lmoreno http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/12/13/mercury-injections/#comment-5 lmoreno Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:25:49 +0000 http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/12/13/mercury-injections/#comment-5 My parents were born in Mexico, I was born here in the United States. I spend many summers and winters as a child in Mexico visiting family. Of course, I enjoyed many of the great novelty candy sold in Mexico that resemble kitchen pots and jars. Not till recently, did I find out that many of the containers used for candy products also have Mercury in them. That is a scary thought. I can see how keeping a close eye on symptoms is important because there might situations where the patient might be exposed so such substances as mercury without their own knowledge. My parents were born in Mexico, I was born here in the United States. I spend many summers and winters as a child in Mexico visiting family. Of course, I enjoyed many of the great novelty candy sold in Mexico that resemble kitchen pots and jars. Not till recently, did I find out that many of the containers used for candy products also have Mercury in them. That is a scary thought.

I can see how keeping a close eye on symptoms is important because there might situations where the patient might be exposed so such substances as mercury without their own knowledge.

]]> Comment on Speaking up for access to care by Tim Dunn http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/12/06/speaking-up-about-access-to-care%e2%80%a6/#comment-4 Tim Dunn Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:50:54 +0000 http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/12/06/speaking-up-about-access-to-care%e2%80%a6/#comment-4 Health care is human right! Thanks for posting this important reminder to clinicians, especially those serving migrants. Today (December 10) is the 59th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and all 30 articles remain relevant in today’s harsh environment, including the right to medical care. (see article 25). For those interested in this document visit http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2007/index.shtml Health care is human right! Thanks for posting this important reminder to clinicians, especially those serving migrants. Today (December 10) is the 59th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and all 30 articles remain relevant in today’s harsh environment, including the right to medical care. (see article 25).

For those interested in this document visit http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2007/index.shtml

]]> Comment on Expanding Definitions of Emergency Preparedness by Amy Liebman http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/12/03/expanding-definitions-of-emergency-preparedness/#comment-3 Amy Liebman Mon, 03 Dec 2007 17:57:33 +0000 http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/12/03/expanding-definitions-of-emergency-preparedness/#comment-3 I think the point about overlapping preparing for raids with our efforts in planning for emergency and/or disaster preparedness is an excellent point! The advice and planning for these two events in many ways is very similar. Given what happened to undocumented migrants during the fires, it is imperative that emergency preparedness includes the “know your rights” type information that service providers and giving to immigrants. Front line providers giving advice or information might find some of the below information helpful in terms of raids: 1) Know Your Rights at Home and at Work: English - http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/imm_enfrcmt_homework_rts_2007-08.pdf Spanish - http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/imm_enfrcmt_homework_rts_sp_2007-08.pdf. 2) What to do if you are arrested or detained – English --http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/to_do_if_arrested_2007-08.pdf Spanish - http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/to_do_if_arrested_sp_2007-08.pdf 3) How to be prepared for a raid English http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/immraidsprep_2007-02-27.pdf Spanish - http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/preppararedadas_2007-03-27.pdf 4) An issue brief on immigration enforcement during labor disputes at http://www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/IWR_Material/Advocate/labordispute_infobrief_2007-04-23.pdf. 5)Brochure to deal with raids from: Detention Watch Network, the National Immigration Project, and CASA of Maryland English http://www.nilc.org/ce/nonnilc/raidsrights_dwn&nlg&casa.pdf Spanish http://www.nilc.org/ce/nonnilc/redadas_dwn&nlg&casa.pdf. I think the point about overlapping preparing for raids with our efforts in planning for emergency and/or disaster preparedness is an excellent point! The advice and planning for these two events in many ways is very similar. Given what happened to undocumented migrants during the fires, it is imperative that emergency preparedness includes the “know your rights” type information that service providers and giving to immigrants. Front line providers giving advice or information might find some of the below information helpful in terms of raids:

1) Know Your Rights at Home and at Work:
English - http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/imm_enfrcmt_homework_rts_2007-08.pdf
Spanish - http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/imm_enfrcmt_homework_rts_sp_2007-08.pdf.
2) What to do if you are arrested or detained –
English –http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/to_do_if_arrested_2007-08.pdf
Spanish - http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/to_do_if_arrested_sp_2007-08.pdf
3) How to be prepared for a raid
English http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/immraidsprep_2007-02-27.pdf
Spanish - http://www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/preppararedadas_2007-03-27.pdf
4) An issue brief on immigration enforcement during labor disputes at http://www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/IWR_Material/Advocate/labordispute_infobrief_2007-04-23.pdf.
5)Brochure to deal with raids from: Detention Watch Network, the National Immigration Project, and CASA of Maryland
English http://www.nilc.org/ce/nonnilc/raidsrights_dwn&nlg&casa.pdf
Spanish http://www.nilc.org/ce/nonnilc/redadas_dwn&nlg&casa.pdf.

]]> Comment on Are Social Security Numbers Required for Health Care? by Deliana Garcia http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/11/19/ssns/#comment-2 Deliana Garcia Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:57:09 +0000 http://migrantclinician.org/blog/2007/11/19/ssns/#comment-2 The request for Social Security Numbers is just one, and perhaps the most egregious, request for non-essential information that we are confronted with when we visit the doctor or other service provider. I went to a travel clinic to be vaccinated before foreign travel. I was asked for my social security number, my driver's license number, my marital status and the number of people in my family. “Why am I being asked for this information?” the response boiled down to “Because you need to fill the form out completely and the questions are on the form.” Interestingly, I’ve looked at enrollment and health history forms from across the country and found that offices everywhere are asking for information that is not necessary to differentiate one patient’s record from another nor advance the quality of care to be provided by identify a current health risk. Why ask the questions!? - Because they are on the forms. Enrollment and health history forms are self perpetuating instruments that are rarely reviewed and even more rarely changed. I refused to give the travel clinic the information they requested. When I asked if this meant that I would not be given the vaccines that I needed, the young man hesitated and then said, “No ma’am you will be called shortly.” Perhaps I’m just meaner than Dr. McLaurin and certainly I wasn’t trying to establish a medical home but I think we need to stand our ground and be cautious with the amount of personal information we give out for any reason. The request for Social Security Numbers is just one, and perhaps the most egregious, request for non-essential information that we are confronted with when we visit the doctor or other service provider. I went to a travel clinic to be vaccinated before foreign travel. I was asked for my social security number, my driver’s license number, my marital status and the number of people in my family. “Why am I being asked for this information?” the response boiled down to “Because you need to fill the form out completely and the questions are on the form.”

Interestingly, I’ve looked at enrollment and health history forms from across the country and found that offices everywhere are asking for information that is not necessary to differentiate one patient’s record from another nor advance the quality of care to be provided by identify a current health risk. Why ask the questions!? - Because they are on the forms. Enrollment and health history forms are self perpetuating instruments that are rarely reviewed and even more rarely changed.

I refused to give the travel clinic the information they requested. When I asked if this meant that I would not be given the vaccines that I needed, the young man hesitated and then said, “No ma’am you will be called shortly.” Perhaps I’m just meaner than Dr. McLaurin and certainly I wasn’t trying to establish a medical home but I think we need to stand our ground and be cautious with the amount of personal information we give out for any reason.

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