My health record

[mcoates]

We had an interesting discussion at the airfield today about the new "my health record" system that comes into place in the next few days. Several at the airport see this as an opportunity for CASA, should they wish, to go data mining through the records to find little secrets that have not been reported during your medical checkups.

Several in the group said that they had two separate doctors that they visited, one for common things like a cold, a cut etc and another doctor who looked after their major medical events like diabetes, heart disease and so on. (Please note that none of these are commercial pilots they are just sport pilots flying two seat aircraft)

These people were adamant that CASA would mine the records and catch them out because when they went for a CASA medical they only reported the doctor they visited for minor ailments and having access to all of the records would highlight a second or a third doctor in the background including any specialists.

It is a very interesting subject that will probably affect a lot of older pilots.

The medical records are available to any medical person and I assume this also means a CASA doctor, acting for and on behalf of CASA.

You can even set up an automatic notification to receive an email or a text when somebody accesses your health record but what good is this if it is CASA and they have already gone in and downloaded everything that they need for a review of your medical status.

This subject created a lot of lively debate at the airport this morning with pretty much everybody unanimously agreeing that you need to opt out.

I am surprised that this has not been talked about previously and I bring up this subject to see what is everyone else doing ?

[drpixie]

Or you can have your My Health Record deleted completely ...
Would be a bad idea to be misleading CASA, just tell them what they ask ... "normal" health issues (if managed) won't affect your medical. Or revert to the drivers' licence medical, if you don't need a class 1 or 2.

[flying-spike]

Or you can have your My Health Record deleted completely ...
Would be a bad idea to be misleading CASA, just tell them what they ask ... "normal" health issues (if managed) won't affect your medical. Or revert to the drivers' licence medical, if you don't need a class 1 or 2.
Not only a “bad idea” but illegal and potentially dangerous not only to you but anybody else around should you have a medical episode.

[compressor stall]

I am surprised that this has not been talked about previously

It was.... use the search function.

https://www.pprune.org/pacific-general-aviation-questions/611152-opting-out-medical-records.html

[Sunfish]

CASA is the least of your potential problems. Wait till potential employers and insurers get access, and they will try. The problem with all digital records is that they are effectively binary - you either have a condition or you don’t. I have a friend who this week elected to see a shrink and was diagnosed with depression*. No matter what treatment, with successful results or not, his. health record is going to be marked with a big “D” - precluding him from obtaining a licence.

* And why not? Just sold his successful business and now doesn’t know what to do with himself plus wife kicked him out as well because his presence interferes with her lifestyle.

[triadic]

This subject was raised with a senior manager at CASA last year with the suggestion that CASA should spell out it's policy on this subject and what their position is on the access of such data relating to pilots. That was 3 months ago and nothing to date!

Perhaps the question needs to be asked again?

[megan]

precluding him from obtaining a licenceI'd be very surprised if that's the case Sunny, though it doesn't take much to surprise me these days. Plenty of folk with "D" flying, with ATPL as well. Depends on the individuals state of course, seen guys remove themselves from the cockpit voluntarily to get treatment, and returned to the job following treatment. In some cases the treatment is long term via medication, but doesn't necessarily keep you out of the cockpit. CASA med have been at the forefront world wide in getting such people back on the job. Hate to think they have thrown in the towel and changed position. They did a study some years ago and found treated folk were safer than the general pilot population, albeit from a small data base, so may mean nothing. Society needs to get over the mind set that the individual with depression is an axe murderer in the making, though protagonists can make much of such cases as Germanwings.

[compressor stall]

The way the public servants work is that they must be seen to be doing things that leave no stone unturned, as if they don't consider and mitigate all options, they can be in a world of legal hurt.

If there is an avenue for AVMED to access My Health Data, and they do not, should there ever be an accident in which the coroner discovers that the pilot has a My Health record of relevance to the accident, and CASA did not consider that record in the granting of the medical, then some AVMED/CASA folk will have a lot of explaining before the inquiry. I can't see AVMED ignoring My Health data, unless it is illegal for them to do so (but then a quick rewrite of the rules deep in an election campaign and pushed through as part of other legislation might see them access it in the future anyway).

[RUMBEAR]

Opting out of the My Health record system was a very real option. There was a date last year where you could opt out very easily online. Not sure what the situation is now we are past this date. If you opt out before anything appears in your record then their would be nothing to exist!

I think it has been proven that data security doesn’t truely exist online. Also it only legislation that prevents CASA from having free access. Legislation can change easily!

[Capn Bloggs]

Rumbear, you can still opt out, until the 31st of Jan.

[drpixie]

Not only a “bad idea” but illegal and potentially dangerous not only to you but anybody else around should you have a medical episode.

Perfectly legal, you just apply through the My Health Record website.
And (for now) it only contains financial type info - consultations, tests, scripts paid - no results ... though that will come later.

[thorn bird]

TRUST.

Given CAsA's track record of questionable ethics over the years one could be forgiven
for being a tad sceptical about their intentions regarding access to the my health record
data base. Given that the medical records they already hold are accessible to everyone
within CAsA down to the tea lady I'd be very concerned about the sanctity of your private
medical history.
Remember its not that long ago they made a concerted effort for access to everyones
meta data.

[cattletruck]

My cynical self believes the "OPT OUT" exercise simply ticks a box in this system and does nothing else. Records are still gathered and easily shared amongst the privileged, the rest is just the same old public facade.

All my health specialists were all old school and although technically brilliant they understood the fallacies of the perfect human specimen all too well. Unfortunately my GP retired years ago, my optometrist a few years later, my DAME last year and my dentist yesterday. Buggah, I got no-one now, and having trouble finding replacements that I'm confident in dealing with that aren't overly prescriptive with transient minor issues (for most of my life I have not taken medicines, I don't even take aspirin). I can now see why people like me don't get to see a ripe all age.

I cannot see any benefit coming out of e-health records for the individual involved. On the other hand e-health records are a huge bonanza for pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, government, media, and any other industry that deals with demographics and epidemiology.

[Aussie Bob]

I think you're all paranoid. Get on with life! It is fun.

[Popgun]

This is a no brainer.

Opt out.

If you've already got an e-health record - delete it.

PG

[Squawk7700]

Talk to your doctor / GP. Mine told me that he has to choose what goes on the myhealth record and it’s not as simple as everything goes.

If you’ve got kids for example, you may wish for the doctor to tick the asthma checkbox for example for their own safety.

It’s about sharing the data for your benefit, like when you’re retired and away in Qld with your caravan and you have a health episode - quick access.

All that being said... I opted out.

[KittyKatKaper]

At " https://www.myhealthrecord.gov.au/for-you-your-family/howtos/remove-information " there is If you remove a document, depending on the document type, you may be able to reinstate it at a later date.

At " https://www.oaic.gov.au/individuals/privacy-fact-sheets/health-and-digital-health/privacy-fact-sheet-19-how-to-manage-your-my-health-record " there is If a document has been uploaded to your My Health Record and you would like to have it removed, you can have it ‘effectively removed’.[1]
...
[1] A document that has been ‘effectively removed’ will not be viewable on the individual’s My Health Record, but it may still be stored and accessible via the Australian Digital Health Agency for medico-legal reasons or other reasons authorised or required by law.

ie. their definition of 'remove', is, 'hide it from the plebs but let the masters do what they want'.

[topdrop]

To anyone not sure what to do, opt out by Jan 31 - you can always opt back in later after further research or the privacy issues have been sorted.

[Jetman346]

I too have opted out

[Derfred]

If you’ve got kids for example, you may wish for the doctor to tick the asthma checkbox for example for their own safety.

Or, if they may wish to be pilots one day, you may wish to Opt them Out.

[compressor stall]

^^^^ Exactly. As I said in the other thread, a misdiagnosis of asthma by an overzealous doctor (as happened to a friend's kid) can cut off opportunities in the future.

All my kids are Opted Out.

[Capt Fathom]

I guess the choice is preserve your career or preserve your life! Which one do you want to back?

[Squawk7700]

can cut off opportunities in the future

The flip side to that is that you may save their life by them not chasing an opportunity that may put them in a position where their asthma kills them at work... it's very much a catch 22 the whole thing. Hide something that could bite you, but also save your life, but could lose you your job and career.

[compressor stall]

Squawk... what part of misdiagnosis did you miss?

[cattletruck]

While ICD-10 and DSM-5 remain the preferred yardstick to measure everything against for limiting liability, and of which it's amendment operates at glacial speed, god help you if you are caught out and the guide turns out to be proven wrong. Reading this thing it does feel that when it comes to medicine en-masse we are only just leaving our past medieval practices behind.

[Squawk7700]

... and as I said CS, it only goes on there if you WANT it to. Once your child’s condition was confirmed, you may choose to add it. It’s actually there to help you, you just need to manage it for best results.

[Sunfish]

Sigh. Does CASA distinguish between childhood asthma, Allergy Asthma, thunderstorm asthma, hay fever and full blown asthma? Probably not, at least not without $$$$ of specialist reports and maybe not even then.

Having an E Health record is effectively giving yourself a criminal record.

[Toruk Macto]

personal and company loss of license , private health insurance . I’m happy to have my information shared .

[LeadSled]

Folks,
At its most basic, the eHealth record is a great idea --- if it was confined to saving your life --- but it is the wise range of non- saving your life agencies who have access with little or no restriction, and that is before we even look at the lack of effective security of the records, (as has been pointed out, there is no security from a wide range of CASA staff from accessing your CASA medical records --- regardless of what the internal security procedures might be alleged to be --- and I have personal experience of that).
And that is before we get to hackers.
Until the whole thing is reformed back to what was intended in the first place, opt out.
Tootle pip!!

[Toruk Macto]

I’ll risk it , I prefer to have my records available for a treating dr to study at moments notice . I’m allergic to certain medicines. Blockchain is coming for medical records and that will fix the security issues but in the meantime I’ll keep loss of license topped up and risk the nosey casa office staff .

[Sunfish]

Toruk, but by definition, if you have a long and convoluted medical history that a treating doctor has to study at a moments notice, then you don’t have a class 1 or 2 medical certificate anyway. CASA doesn’t give certificates to people with a history of complex medical conditions.

‘’Furthermore, few good doctors will accept diagnosis from some unknown locum at a bulk billing clinic that has found its way onto your E health record. They will order their own tests.

You have far, far too much faith in the medical system and practitioners.

E Health will be a national scandal in years to come when it is shown to contain garbage. That is certain to happen.

[gerry111]

Rumbear, you can still opt out, until the 31st of Jan.

I just tried to opt out (28th Jan 2019) and guess what?

"Unsuccessful opt out of My Health Record
error Message You already have an active My Health Record"

So now I have to cancel My Health Record.

[flying-spike]

Perfectly legal, you just apply through the My Health Record website.
And (for now) it only contains financial type info - consultations, tests, scripts paid - no results ... though that will come later.
I’m not talking about opting out. I am talking about hiding potentially serious medical conditions from CASA.

[Stationair8]

Our family GP, is advising people to opt out My Health Record.

He gives the example of having a stubby or two, on a Saturday afternoon and then having a minor accident while doing an oil change on your trusty ute. You finish up in accident and emergency requiring a few stitches in your hand, what happens if it gets written on your health record that you presented at hospital in an agitated state, covered in blood, a few bruises etc.
Bit awkward if it gets written up by some ward clerk, nurse that you arrived at hospital in agitated state because you are a drug user, or heavy drinker or whatever.

Plenty of people will be eager to see or have an interest what is on your health record- from private health insurance, car insurance, travel insurance, life insurance or even down to your bank for a business or home loan.

[mustafagander]

As I understand it the security which is promised - your file will be password protected - can be overridden at any A&E department of any hospital at any time you present there. Now, how many thousands of people will legitimately have access to the override codes???? Tell me that not one is sloppy with passwords or even bent.

[aroa]

Security is not a problem as far as CAsA is concerned... .
If bureaurats want to go there they will. CAsA keeps no tags on who looks up yr info.and breaches their/your privacy provisions.
Retski (AWI CNS) the criminal did that for a phone call threatening a bashing, having just been reminded of his earlier criminality, nicely sidestepped by the legal perverts at the top, Dr Discrepancy et al....
AvMed have your ASIC portrait...so you can see for them its open slather..
Avmed will love MHR. !!

[Squawk7700]

Yep.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/839x470/myhealth_0d4c4e28f59663f1a2f850d6f3ae6c0379dddd19.jpg

[KittyKatKaper]

-> Squawk7700 & gerry111
Were you part of the approx 1 million users who had accounts created during the 2016 opt-out trial ?

[Squawk7700]

I opted out a few months back. That attempt was for my wife and kids. No idea what the difference is/was.

[gerry111]

I've not tried to opt in or out previously.

[Derfred]

I've not tried to opt in or out previously.

“Opt in” - wow, now that would be an idea!

Every official argument I’ve heard in favour of MHR is that it supposedly exists to help you.

Yes, there will be a small percentage of people with particular ailments who could or would benefit from MHR. So if it might help you, fine, go for it. Those people should be able to opt in.

But for the rest of society it’s unlikely to help you, but your data will flow across IT systems beyond your control, and may one day hurt you. And if you think that data will be deletable in the future, then I have a harbour bridge to sell you.

I listened to the head of MHR on ABC radio yesterday trying to explain why MHR was good, and it appeared from his conversation that most of the benefit of MHR was actually about protecting doctors from litigation rather than any actual benefit to the patient.

He wasn’t even hiding the fact FFS.

Now, he is an ex-director of the AMA, so don’t think for one minute that he cares about patients - he has spent a large part of his working life protecting the pay, conditions and interests of doctors. He’s obviously done a good job at that, and maybe AFAP or AIPA should employ him, but I digress. My point is, even he couldn’t provide a good argument for why average Australian’s should have a MHR that would actually benefit them.

Here’s a hypothetical: If my 12yo son with a MHR has a stress-related migraine this year, and we seek treatment or medication for it, and it goes away and never recurs, it will be on his MHR record.

If, 10 years later, he gets his CPL and hours and applies for a job with You Beaut Airlines, they will have access to that record. They may have a policy of not employing pilots with a history of migraines, even if he has a Class 1 medical, and it only happened once, 10 years ago.

Now before you say that Airline recruiting departments don’t or shouldn’t have access to MHR, who knows who will have access in 10 years’ time? The Government reserves the right to change the rules at any time without your permission.

And even if they don’t “officially” have access to MHR, major airlines employ doctors, and doctors have un-fettered access to your records - so the reality is, the airlines will have access to your records. In fact, there are so many health professionals with access to your records, that odds are, if you walk into a crowded train carriage, at least two people in that train carriage will have access to your record.

Airlines could even employ (or have access to) emergency doctors who could access your so-called “hidden” or “deleted” records.

Note: I’m not implicating CASA in this hypothetical, that’s another discussion, I’m pointing out that MHR could be used against you commercially, or for discrimination, way outside the objectives being “sold” to us, even under the current rules, let alone any future rules.

So “Opt Out” unless you have a good reason to be “In”.

And for the sake of your kids, unless you have a damned good reason to have them in, opt them out. Let them opt in down the track if they choose to do so, when they become of age, and can make their own decisions.

At least we are being given an opt-out option at this point in time, as adults. What about our kids? They should be in charge of their own digital future.

[Derfred]

Did you opt to remain In? Did they tell you about “secondary use of data”? What could that be about?

They’re still admitting that they will use your data for other purposes (hey, guess what, it’s not just for your benefit!)

MHR wesite: The principles contained within the Framework to guide the secondary uses of data will become law (within the My Health Record Rules). A Data Governance Board will be established to approve the release of any data in line with these rules.

Translation: We will release your private medical data to other organisations for other purposes. At some undisclosed time in the future, we will convene a government commitee to approve it.

I look forward to seeing a job offer for “Chairman: Data Governance Board... amongst other responsibilities you will be responsible for overseeing the approval of data sharing with other organisations ... this highly privileged role will be well remunerated, with generous travel and pension benefits.”

[Sunfish]

All it will take is one ATSB documented aviation medically related RPT incident and the General Public will demand that CASA Avmed be given access to E Health records of pilots. The Government will comply in seconds - for “safety” you know.

The trawling by Avmed will start immediately and what a rich haul they will find. Believe it or not, some Doctors are incompetent ratbags. There is no telling what irrelevant garbage is in your medical records right now.

For example, google Avmed and cancer. See what can be demanded of you, ladies, if you are unlucky enough to have been stricken with breast cancer, even if you are now totally clear.

My wife asked me about learning to fly last week. She has had cancer. I told her not to bother. The ongoing medical tests required by Avmed would probably cost more than the training.

[Old Akro]

I suspect that the CASA forms we have all signed as part of our medicals gives CASA the right to access myehealth. I suspect that the declarations we have signed circumvents the government privacy provisions. Does anyone know?

[Squawk7700]

This reminds me of when CASA applied to be able to access our “metadata” including phone tracking and SMS’s etc..... and they were denied it.

[Sunfish]

“all that will be recorded are a few prescription details, not diagnostic notes” yadda yadda. That makes it worse. What is CASA to make from a prescription for Valium?


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-30/my-health-record-deadline-looms-jan-31/10759956

[gerry111]

Derfred, perhaps my comment at post #40 may make far more sense to you if read in conjunction with my post #32?
Plus Squawk7700's at #37 and #39. And particularly KittyKatKaper's at #38.

[Toruk Macto]

People who provide access to their records for what ever reason should get a discount on health insurance premiums , tax concessions and rebates ? It’s true some info may be misused but no system is perfect , maybe this one is not right but overall I’m for it and if a few people have to use their time to manage an illness rather than hide it then maybe that’s a good thing . I’m also a fan of national ID’s. Once again I’ve nothing to hide and provides better security .

[gerry111]

I've finally managed to cancel My Health Record but no thanks to their pathetic, unworkable website. I ended up ringing the 1800 number which was helpful.

KittyKatKaper, I asked why I had a record and was told it originated from 01/06/16. So perhaps I was one of those that unknowingly took part in their trial? I'd have a lot more faith in government bureaucracies if they actually practised transparency.

[Sunfish]

Toruk Macto: “i’ve got nothing to hide”.....And then one day you are hit by a snowboarder, or a jet ski. You momentarily lose consciousness and you report same to a questioning intern at a treatment centre, it was only for a second or so but you open your big mouth.

Congratulations! According to CASA your E Health records now say you suffered a brain injury! Good luck trying to get your medical certificate back! I gave up skiing after 30 years of it because of this one threat - a skiing accident comprising my certificate.

[mcoates]

As a starter of this thread I am very interested to read everyone's comments and fears regarding this problem with my health record , it is exactly the same type of comments that I was exposed to by people at the airport last weekend and the reason for starting this thread.

One of the guys from the airport is also on this discussion group and he called me about 30 minutes ago with some comments but didn't want to be identified, he has asked me to relay his story below is a warning to everybody about what could happen with CASA getting access to your health records. (I hope I have detailed everything he wanted me to mention below but he would not put pen to paper and write anything to avoid leaving a digital record and that is why he has asked me to do it for him)

He has an RV, two seats which is VH registered and flies it as a recreational pilot during his early years of retirement, I am guessing he is about 65. He travels all around Australia and seems to be fairly fit and healthy to me from what I've seen.

He mentioned the situation where about three years ago his wife complained about his snoring so his doctor sent him off for a sleep study through Snore Australia. He went and did the sleep study and was reported that he had dozens of episodes every hour and needed to be on CPAP (I think that is what it is called) otherwise he would die in the next five years.

The study was done through a private provider who are owned the same business that imports the machines, cells oxygen and everything else to do with sleep problems. It's in their best interest to test people and find them needing additional resources which of course they can provide $$$

He said that he didn't believe any of this diagnosis and went off a couple of months later to a university sleep study who found that he only had a deviated septum from a fight in his youth where is nose got broken and he did not have any sleep episodes at all. This diagnosis was completely different to the private provider.

This is an ideal example of why the "my health record" system should not be accessible to CASA.

We have an individual who is fairly young, reasonably fit and only weighs, I am guessing about 65-70 kg which is really skinny for his six-foot frame.

He went and had a sleep study by a private provider and was diagnosed as being close to death and needed to start on all sorts of sleep equipment and oxygen support otherwise he would die fairly quickly from sleep-related problems including heart attack etc.

Then a university sleep study test was undertaken and they found that none of the reported events were true and he only needed an operation to straighten his nasal passage which he says he is not going to worry about because he doesn't sleep in the same room as his wife anymore anyway ?.

This leaves a very big question of misdiagnosis for commercial gain !

This gentleman was misdiagnosed by a private medical provider who has an interest in diagnosing people incorrectly because it boosts their business, but these records would go on to his health record and of course be available to people like CASA.

I don't know if CASA target people with sleep abnormalities, but I am guessing they probably do, and they would probably go off the first sleep study and stop this guy from flying even though the second sleep study by an independent university said that he didn't suffer a sleep disorder at all.

It is misdiagnosis like this which is a real concern for anyone's medical records being publicly available.

Not every medical provider has a strict moral standard to adhere to when they are owned, funded or receive kickbacks from medical suppliers or drug producers.

But, it seems now none of this will matter to CASA who will simply go on their merry way and stamp this pilots logbook as "not fit to fly"

Another comment that is coming back to me from the weekend at the airport was from a guy who lost his wife about five years ago. They had been married at the time for nearly 40 years and after his wife's passing he went into a depression for about six months and lost interest in doing anything. He quite openly said that he sought help because he had a feeling of not wanting to go on and they diagnosed him with depression and medicated him for about six months which allowed his body to heal and move on from this life changing event. He says that today he feels better than when he was married (he says this jokingly) but this record of depression and medication regardless of circumstance would go on his health record. Would this also prohibited him from being a valid person to hold a recreational aviation licence ?

I am sure a lot of these things can be retested to a standard which may satisfy CASA but it is extremely expensive and beyond the income and resources of most of the people at our airfield who are largely retired and do a few circuits every week to keep flying for nothing more than enjoyment and recreation.

[Toruk Macto]

Good to hear these people got the help they needed , even if road to identifying the correct problem was not ideal . I also had a diagnosis of sleep apnea then diagnosed as deviated septum after further test , surgery corrected it , sleep well now and lost weight . Initial request for sleep test was aviation dr and he supported me through process even finding better surgeon . Depression is interesting one , after German wings it’s been pushed underground and that’s dangerous in my opinion , it can be treated and if it can’t then those people should not be flying . Mental heath might be next big thing the industry needs to face maybe after fatigue ? Substance abuse is another issue , denial being biggest issue . Having proffesional medical people sharing information so big picture is available might be best way to identify these deseases This system may not be right but I think there is a place for something like it .

[Sunfish]

unfortunately Toruk macto “professional medical people” is an oxymoron. You suffer from a totally unfounded trust in the medical profession. There are some stupid, greedy or both doctors out there and if one of them writes garbage on your MHR then your medical certificate is done for.

‘’I can confirm the gist of mcoates story. Sleep apnoea is a growth industry in the USA and Australia to the point where I believe AOPA USA had to take action. CASA has geared up to do the same thing and demand testing as well. That is why they want DAMES to measure height, weight and body mass index (BMI). That is also why “helpful” DAMES will tell you to lose a little weight - CASA will order sleep apnoea tests if your BMI is too high.

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2015/january/23/new-sleep-apnea-policy-to-take-effect

This is the same type of scandal/fraud as diagnosing male kids with ADHD and prescribing ritalin. Once that fraudulent diagnosis is on your kids MHR they can kiss a flying career goodbye. Same trick with Autism. Some kids just can’t stand school classroom learning styles and greedy stupid doctors then label them with a disability.

I speak as someone who was on the fringes of the medical/ pharmaceutical industry and i can tell you it’s populated with just as many devils as there are saints. Just as many idiots as geniuses. The MHR Lacks security and quality control features that are under the control of the public.

[Rated De]

Did you opt to remain In? Did they tell you about “secondary use of data”? What could that be about?

They’re still admitting that they will use your data for other purposes (hey, guess what, it’s not just for your benefit!)


"When you sacrifice privacy for security, you deserve neither."

(apologies to Mr Benjamin Franklin)

[Capt Fathom]

Jeez, what are people going to dream up next? Maybe check that your neighbour doesn't work for CASA! They may be watching YOU right now! :E

[Capn Bloggs]

You're paranoid, Fathom. I suggest you opt out! :}

[Sunfish]

For those of you unfamiliar, look up the term “managed care” and study the abomination that is the American health care system, for that is where the medical/ pharmaceutical industry is trying to drag you. ‘my health record ‘ is a step in that direction because it provides a means for non medical bureaucrats to have visibility into your health.

The next step after that is to use the information in your MHR to make bureaucratic decisions about your future treatment options as is the case in the USA. This is currently the province of medical practitioners only but MHR by its very nature, allows non medical bureaucrats into the process. These decisions determine length and quality of life. For example, unofficially if you’re a smoker, the medicos place you at the very bottom of the list for any transplant operation. American “health managers” are not doctors, they are ruthless deniers of medical care to insured persons on the flimsiest pretext.

health economists are are not known for compassion. You have been warned.

[Lead Balloon]

This reminds me of when CASA applied to be able to access our “metadata” including phone tracking and SMS’s etc..... and they were denied it.I wouldn’t count on that meaning they aren’t getting access. From The Saturday Paper dated November 24 -30 2018, pages 1 and 4:Government agencies are using a loophole to access individuals’ metadata without warrants ...


At least 80 government authorities, from federal and state law enforcers to departments and local councils, are using legal loopholes to lodge 350,000 requests a year for access to Australians’ telecommunications metadata. These requests are made mostly without warrants and often without external oversight, sidestepping the strict national access regime established controversially three years ago.
...
The inquiry by the PJCIS has been told dozens of agencies are routinely bypassing the existing restrictions in the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act, which permits only 22 security agencies to request access to basic unencrypted data.

Instead, many more across government are requesting subscriber details, including names and addresses and other details such as phone records, call durations and locations, using alternative statutory provisions that allow them to bypass the act’s restrictions - including, potentially, agencies among the 22 listed. These provisions allow them to access the information faster and without the oversight of traditional watchdog organisations.
...
Communications Alliance chief John Stanton said a member survey had found at least 80 government bodies had requested unencrypted data by alternative routes using a different law, the Telecommunications Act.

“That’s an everyday occurrence, roughly in the order of 350,000 times a year, Stanton said.
...

[Pinky the pilot]

Bloggsie; Just because you are not paranoid. it doesn't mean that they are not out to get you!:E

But quite seriously; Sunfish is quite on the mark, from what I have heard from various Medicos over the last twelve months or so.:hmm:

[Squawk7700]

I tried to opt out the kids yesterday and all I got was an error.

[The name is Porter]

OPT OUT!

And you fellas on here carrying on about hiding **** from casa on a public forum :ugh:

Check out the SBS doco on Facebook.

[Jetman346]

Its not so much hiding stuff from casa just lack of trust for the regulator

[Clinton McKenzie]

As a starter of this thread I am very interested to read everyone's comments and fears regarding this problem with my health record , it is exactly the same type of comments that I was exposed to by people at the airport last weekend and the reason for starting this thread.

One of the guys from the airport is also on this discussion group and he called me about 30 minutes ago with some comments but didn't want to be identified, he has asked me to relay his story below is a warning to everybody about what could happen with CASA getting access to your health records. (I hope I have detailed everything he wanted me to mention below but he would not put pen to paper and write anything to avoid leaving a digital record and that is why he has asked me to do it for him)

He has an RV, two seats which is VH registered and flies it as a recreational pilot during his early years of retirement, I am guessing he is about 65. He travels all around Australia and seems to be fairly fit and healthy to me from what I've seen.

He mentioned the situation where about three years ago his wife complained about his snoring so his doctor sent him off for a sleep study through Snore Australia. He went and did the sleep study and was reported that he had dozens of episodes every hour and needed to be on CPAP (I think that is what it is called) otherwise he would die in the next five years.

The study was done through a private provider who are owned the same business that imports the machines, cells oxygen and everything else to do with sleep problems. It's in their best interest to test people and find them needing additional resources which of course they can provide $$$

He said that he didn't believe any of this diagnosis and went off a couple of months later to a university sleep study who found that he only had a deviated septum from a fight in his youth where is nose got broken and he did not have any sleep episodes at all. This diagnosis was completely different to the private provider.

This is an ideal example of why the "my health record" system should not be accessible to CASA.

We have an individual who is fairly young, reasonably fit and only weighs, I am guessing about 65-70 kg which is really skinny for his six-foot frame.

He went and had a sleep study by a private provider and was diagnosed as being close to death and needed to start on all sorts of sleep equipment and oxygen support otherwise he would die fairly quickly from sleep-related problems including heart attack etc.

Then a university sleep study test was undertaken and they found that none of the reported events were true and he only needed an operation to straighten his nasal passage which he says he is not going to worry about because he doesn't sleep in the same room as his wife anymore anyway ?.

This leaves a very big question of misdiagnosis for commercial gain !

This gentleman was misdiagnosed by a private medical provider who has an interest in diagnosing people incorrectly because it boosts their business, but these records would go on to his health record and of course be available to people like CASA.

I don't know if CASA target people with sleep abnormalities, but I am guessing they probably do, and they would probably go off the first sleep study and stop this guy from flying even though the second sleep study by an independent university said that he didn't suffer a sleep disorder at all.

It is misdiagnosis like this which is a real concern for anyone's medical records being publicly available.

Not every medical provider has a strict moral standard to adhere to when they are owned, funded or receive kickbacks from medical suppliers or drug producers.

But, it seems now none of this will matter to CASA who will simply go on their merry way and stamp this pilots logbook as "not fit to fly"

Another comment that is coming back to me from the weekend at the airport was from a guy who lost his wife about five years ago. They had been married at the time for nearly 40 years and after his wife's passing he went into a depression for about six months and lost interest in doing anything. He quite openly said that he sought help because he had a feeling of not wanting to go on and they diagnosed him with depression and medicated him for about six months which allowed his body to heal and move on from this life changing event. He says that today he feels better than when he was married (he says this jokingly) but this record of depression and medication regardless of circumstance would go on his health record. Would this also prohibited him from being a valid person to hold a recreational aviation licence ?

I am sure a lot of these things can be retested to a standard which may satisfy CASA but it is extremely expensive and beyond the income and resources of most of the people at our airfield who are largely retired and do a few circuits every week to keep flying for nothing more than enjoyment and recreation.
Alas, your predictions as to what Avmed would do in the circumstances you described are, in my experience and view based on extensive discussions with people with knowledge and expertise in the area, accurate. Sadly, too, the costs in terms of money, time and stress (and the consequent deleterious effects on a person’s health) are formidable if someone wants to “satisfy” Avmed that people with both actual specialist qualifications and actual first-hand knowledge of a pilot’s medical fitness know better than Avmed.

Avmed will these days, in my experience and analysis of AAT decisions, seize upon and spin whatever circumstances it can to justify intervention, testing, restriction and destruction. They effectively dictate, without specialist qualifications, the clinical management of someone they’ve never examined, in the face of the opinions of people with specialist qualifications who have examined the pilot, because the practical effect of not doing what Avmed demands is that Avmed’s opinion prevails. Avmed seems to me to take the view that there is something special and helpful in finding and interpreting whatever “evidence” is available to show that someone is a medical timebomb and aviation catastrophe waiting to happen, despite what people with specialist qualifications and first-hand knowledge of the person’s fitness may be. It seems to me that anyone can do that.

I was initially surprised, but am no longer surprised, at the number of:

- medical professionals - including doctors and specialists - who express open contempt for Avmed, and

- pilots whose policy is “tell the bastards nothing”.

This is OK from a safety perspective if pilots are still seeking and getting effective help for potentially aviation safety-relevant issues without the knowledge or ‘help’ of Avmed. But when it gets to the point that pilots are too scared to ask for help in the first place, because of a fear of it getting back to Avmed, it becomes a risk to aviation safety.

This is why I have come to the view that Avmed has become a force inimical to aviation safety.

[Pinky the pilot]

- pilots whose policy is “tell the bastards nothing”.

Clinton; I have heard a few of your aforementioned medical professionals - including doctors and specialists say much the same thing over the last few years!:eek:

And that really scares me!

[Clinton McKenzie]

The ghastly irony of a “safety” authority incentivising these outcomes scares me too.