Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> Your data or your life
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | As unlikely and alarmist as this sounds, it could really happen.
> | Intracare is the publisher of a popular practice management system
> | called Dr. Notes. When some doctors balked at a drastic increase in
> | their annual software lease, they were cut off from accessing their own
> | patients? information.
> |
> | This situation is completely unconscionable. There can be no truly
> | open doctor-patient relationship when an unrelated third party is the
> | de facto owner of and gatekeeper to all related data.
> `----
>
> http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/node/1709
I wonder how that would sound in court, say for instance if a patient dies
due to anaphylactic shock after the doctor - because he couldn't get to his
computerised notes because his budget didn't extend to licensing his
software - lost access to the notes that said "DO NOT PRESCRIBE
PENICILLIN!!"?
On the one hand, the doctor would be held accountable, and technically and
ethically speaking rightly so, for not having the foresight to make
hardcopy or export said data before his licenses expired, or even simply to
make budgetery allowances or adjustments to cover the cost of renewing the
licenses. On the other hand, and the judge may not even consider this as an
extenuating circumstance, the actual owner of the software is in
contravention of at least three UK data protection and privacy laws
by /witholding/ the information that could have saved that life.
--
When all else fails...
Use a hammer.
http://www.dotware.co.uk
Some people are like Slinkies;
They serve no particular purpose,
But they bring a smile to your face
When you push them down the stairs.
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