August 16, 2002 

In This Issue: 
Female Doctors, New Chemo May Restore Hair Color,  Tobacco Linked To Pharmaceutical Companies, Medical Privacy Rules, Free Medical Air Transportation, Support Group Chats, and Ask Our RN.

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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Female Doctors Spend More Time With Patients

Gleevec May Fight Broader Range of Cancers

Gleevec May Restore Color to Gray Hair

Tobacco Companies Influence Drug Company Ads For Smoking Cessation

Basic Instinct' Writer Regrets Smoke-Laden Scripts


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NEW MEDICAL PRIVACY RULES
The Kaiser Family Foundation operates KaiserNetwork.org which publishes newsletters on health issues. This week, the focus is on the Bush administration's modifications to the original Clinton administration rules, such as allowing a broad range of health care "operators" access to medical records. Some say this leaves a large loophole. This issue is when should patients have to give permission before their providers release health records to other "operators." The Bush administration just issued final medical privacy rules scheduled to take effect next spring, giving patients new protections, including the right to review their medical records and correct errors, while also allowing certain releases of information. The rules, which apply to all electronic records but not those kept on paper, permit personal medical records to be shared only for purposes of treating patients, paying bills and carrying out various "health care operations." Various news articles are summarized in the KaiserNetwork coverage. 
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=12911 


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FREE AND REDUCED AIRFARE TO TREATMENT
The goal of the National Patient Travel Center is "....to ensure that no financially-needy patient is denied access to distant specialized medical treatment for lack of medical air transportation." Their PatientTravel.org web site is now receiving more than 3,000 visits per month and the organization receives over 1,000 phone calls to their HELPLINE per month. After an initial screening of patients' needs, callers are referred to the appropriate charitable medical transportation program. To be eligible a patient must have a medical need and be able to demonstrate limited income. This is a referral service and there is no cost for the information. This HELPLINE is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The National Patient Travel Center is the only source for information on charitable or deep-discount airline ticket programs for patients and patient escorts. The programs administered by the Center can be reached at 1-800-325-8908 or Travel HELPLINE on 1-800-296-1217. For more info, see patienttravel.org/.