I informed my kaiser PCP who's name appears on this sample letter. This is is response to HPD violating DR/Patient confidentiality. Anybody have HOLCOMB's Email? Please email this info to him. I have the phone number, not the email address. Evidence that HPD is out of control and doing whatever they want.
Cut and pasted in its entirety from my Kaiser account.
Received:
12/23/2015 8:45 PM HST
Hello Mr.XXXXXXX,
Thank you for the information. I was shocked and dismayed to find out HPD is handing out a confidential letter I wrote for a patient on 12/02/2015. This letter was not even meant to allow a firearms permit to be obtained, and was only meant to inform HPD that the person requesting it had no evidence of mental illness (as HPD had requested to know). The following day (12/03/2015), Kaiser advised the doctors in our Waipio clinic that we would in no way be allowed to ever produce a letter that could lead to a person possibly obtaining a firearms permit. Little did I know that my letter, typed out the day before this announcement by Kaiser, would be used in the way I never intended, as well as released for all to see.
The person on whose behalf I wrote the letter, even with his identification 'blacked out', has stated formally to me that the release of my letter to the public is a breach of patient-doctor confidentiality, of which I am in agreement.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Shun MD
I was also given Dr. Shun's short form letter from HPD. However, In my opinion if we all review the letter dated December 2, 2015. Simply put, the letter simply states "no history of prior drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or mental illness". If we examine our Kaiser Certificate of Insurance and Kaiser's Covered Services #18 (substance abuse), #19 (mental illness) #31 (Serious Mental Illness); diagnosis, evaluation and treatment. So there is consistency. Subsequently Kaiser retains our medical records of an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system (Straub has same software package). Then with our
authorization (when we fill out the HPD permit application) a physician can review and release a medical clearance letter (if we pass). Hence Dr. Suhn is
not in violation of any patient-doctor confidentiality (HIPPA violation). Working in healthcare for over 30+ years and required to be certified on the HIPPA law / violation training I would push back on Kaiser Regional implying that Dr. Suhn violated the HIPPA law since we (again) authorized release of our own medical records. In addition, no where in the short form letter does it state "obtaining a firearms permit", again letter simply states
"no history of prior drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or mental illness"...which I believe is same verbage used for medical clearances for certain job applications. If we were follow the thought process for the aforementioned reply by Dr. Suhn / Kaiser Hawaii Regional should
not be in any position to provide medical clearances...period. Hence, the argument of using a medical clearance letter to "possibly obtaining a firearms permit" is rather weak and subjective. I guess I don't "get it"...I presume I was not afforded the opportunity to attend a quality institution of higher education (i.e. Ivy League) so my attempt to utilize logic may be construed suspect(?).
By the way, I have reached out to Mr. Holcomb and kept a detailed paper trail on my efforts to secure my gun permit / medical clearance letter. Running parallel to this, I plan to file a complaint on the aforementioned Covered Services and
not having an authorized review and medical clearance letter provided with Kaiser Regional and/or Corporate. Running parallel to this all of this, I will be reaching out to Dr. that was recommended to review and provide medical clearance letter. Good Luck to all in your endeavors and a "Merry Christmas!"....keep a Positive Attitude!