#230 privacy

I inadvertently learned of a friend's medical condition through a lapse in someone else's judgment and their loose lips.  An emergency responder, in a spirit of caring I am sure, told about a call he had made to assist my friend.  He is clearly mandated to follow the HIPAA regulations prohibiting such disclosure, but shared nonetheless.

Now I know about this situation. I can ignore it, but I still know it. Nothing I do or don't do will change the fact that the story has been shared.

I am reminded of a maxim I learned in a graduate communication course:  "You can't un-ring a bell."  The lesson was an admonishment to watch carefully what you did communicate, because as much as you try to "take something back", refute it with other information or apologize for sharing it, it is still out there regardless.  You may overlay a different message to negate what was shared, but once something is communicated it has been communicated for all time.

Think twice before you share information -- good intentions don't override the right for private things to remain private.  

-- beth triplett
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