Question Re Blogs, On-line Journaling, and Privacy

sara505 · December 21, 2010

I'm not sure where to pose this question, but I'll start here.

I have worked, for over twenty years, for a woman with special needs. There are several care-givers on her support team and we are in constant contact with each other and with her family via a small log book, hand-written.

Being the most techno-savvy among us, I have been trying to get this log book on line - for a variety of reasons: 1. It's the way most things are done in this day and age; 2. Ease of making entries, entires that could include photos or video clips; 3. Family, staff, and medical personnel would be able to access the log from afar; 4. Just a general improvement and upgrade of communication, imo.

Being an avid Blogger, I have been playing with Blogspot as a platform for creating this type of on-line log for the woman in question. The initial reaction - to having to create a Google account in order to sign in - has been less than enthusiastic. Also, there are concerns over privacy (even though these two people have been, themselves, unable to view the blog). I'm not concerned about the learning curve everyone else will be on, initially - I'm prepared to take responsibility for this, and I'm not concerned about privacy, on the face of the issue - but should I be? Even though it's tough to get into the blog, are there background privacy and security issues I should be concerned about? Does Google have access, behind the scenes, to blog content? I have three blogs and a lot of my life is on-line - my Google footprint is substantial and I am beyond caring at this point - but should we be concerned about posting a woman with special needs' private info in an on-line blog? Is there a better platform than Blogspot for such a project? I started there because it's what I know how to do.

Thank you.

Dan7312 · December 21, 2010

Of course this persons privacy should be maintained in any case, but if this can be construed as "medical" information you probably should be very careful about how this info is handled. There are legal ramifications if the info is exposed in this case.

I don't know how Blogspot stores blogs on it's server, but most likely, at least in theory, Google and the people who work there could read everything that is in it.

You might find that http://www.Evernote.com works more like the journal you are using now and might be easier to share with your co-workers. It's contents can be shared online with a restricted set of people. But Evernote, likewise, could see what is in your notes their server too.

The fact the the people who run the servers where your blog/notes are stored can read them doesn't mean that they will, in fact, read them. They probably have a policy to not do that. However when medical info is involved a policy by itself is probably not enough.

In general, when you store stuff on a server in the cloud, unless you can find out for sure how they are storing the stuff, you got to assume that the people running the server can see what you store there.

Just as an example Mozy supports HIPPA (the federal laws covering medical information), but out of the box it doesn't. You have to do some special configuration on your end for that to work.

Sparky · December 21, 2010

I would also be concerned with letting the criminal element in the world know she is a potential "easy" target; both online or in person.

Sam · December 21, 2010

Any and all information on the internet is available. While I and most of us don't have the skills to access a lot of it, there are far too many who do.

I would see if you can find someone who is an expert in security. It could be something as simple as using some type of encryption software. Even this isn't 100% but should be effective against all but the most persistent.

Sam

sara505 · December 21, 2010

Sam wrote: »

Any and all information on the internet is available. While I and most of us don't have the skills to access a lot of it, there are far too many who do.

I would see if you can find someone who is an expert in security. It could be something as simple as using some type of encryption software. Even this isn't 100% but should be effective against all but the most persistent.

Sam

Thanks ( I could swear I replied to this?) - I am growing a bit leery of the idea and am thinking we should continue our hen-scratchings in the red log book. But the encryption software is an interesting angle. To be continued...thanks for responses, much appreciated.

angevin1 · December 21, 2010

Sam wrote: »

Any and all information on the internet is available. While I and most of us don't have the skills to access a lot of it, there are far too many who do.

I would see if you can find someone who is an expert in security. It could be something as simple as using some type of encryption software. Even this isn't 100% but should be effective against all but the most persistent.

Sam

I am totally with Sams' thinkin here...Ask a security expert. Dr. Clint Van Zandt is pretty easy to get ahold of over on MSNBC and Newsvine.

My thoughts are who would at all care about the log and the details, but then, thats why I'm not a cop...I never seem to understand the criminal element!

Good Luck!

sara505 · December 21, 2010

angevin1 wrote: »

I am totally with Sams' thinkin here...Ask a security expert. Dr. Clint Van Zandt is pretty easy to get ahold of over on MSNBC and Newsvine.

My thoughts are who would at all care about the log and the details, but then, thats why I'm not a cop...I never seem to understand the criminal element!

Good Luck!

Yeah, I can't imagine who would care, but it's not my life's details, it's someone's who depends on others to keep her safe and her dignity intact.

Thanks for the name of Dr. Van Zandt.

Art Scott · December 21, 2010

there are online medical info services.....I was looking at putting all my med records on one for traveling especially heading off to a foreign country......the services I was looking at were around a couple hundred a year......this might something worth while googling for............

Dan7312 · December 21, 2010

Encryption, by itself, may not be the answer. For example all of the backup data that Mozy stores is encrypted, but Physicians and Dentists can't use it as is. The have to specially configure the Mozy software on their computers to comply with US Govt. regs on patient confidentiality. Mozy helps the do this.

There are a number of health sites out there that will store various kinds of patient information with high security. The *might* have some features that would support what you are trying to do. Check out http://www.webmd.com and http://www.healthvault.com . If you do some net digging you can probably find others.

sara505 wrote: »

Yeah, I can't imagine who would care, but it's not my life's details, it's someone's who depends on others to keep her safe and her dignity intact.

Thanks for the name of Dr. Van Zandt.

angevin1 · December 21, 2010

sara505 wrote: »

Yeah, I can't imagine who would care, but it's not my life's details, it's someone's who depends on others to keep her safe and her dignity intact.

Thanks for the name of Dr. Van Zandt.

Yeah, I get it! I am a Nurse and signed and filled out many a family log! I always was very impressed with caregivers for taking the time and being so well organized and keeping a log. It was always my pleasure and in truth humbled me when fam member's asked me to sign their log. So like I said who (?) would care about such trivia...but you're right with checking about security issues! Safeguarding that person's dignity is a high honor you undertake.

cheers,

sara505 · December 22, 2010

angevin1 wrote: »

Yeah, I get it! I am a Nurse and signed and filled out many a family log! I always was very impressed with caregivers for taking the time and being so well organized and keeping a log. It was always my pleasure and in truth humbled me when fam member's asked me to sign their log. So like I said who (?) would care about such trivia...but you're right with checking about security issues! Safeguarding that person's dignity is a high honor you undertake.

cheers,

All really helpful suggestions and comments - thank you. On some level, I'd like to simply get the family hooked up with a SM site and set it up journal-style. Security is one issue, ease of use for folks who aren't as computer-savvy as the rest of the world is another. To be continued..

Wachel · December 22, 2010

Be very careful about putting a patient's medical or personal information online. My wife is in the medical field and deals with HIPPA everyday. If you violate HIPPA laws then you could get in serious trouble, including jail time. People get busted under HIPPA laws all the time.

HIPPA may not apply in your specific case but make absolutely sure. HIPPA INFO HERE

Goodluck in your endeavor.

divamum · December 22, 2010

I can't speak to the specific legal implications, but what about using something like Livejournal that can more easily be made available only to specific people and posts restricted to specific usernames?

sara505 · December 23, 2010

divamum wrote: »

I can't speak to the specific legal implications, but what about using something like Livejournal that can more easily be made available only to specific people and posts restricted to specific usernames?

I'm not sure how or if Livejournal is any different than something like blogspot, set up to allow access to specific users, or a smugmug account with a password.

sara505 · December 23, 2010

Wachel wrote: »

Be very careful about putting a patient's medical or personal information online. My wife is in the medical field and deals with HIPPA everyday. If you violate HIPPA laws then you could get in serious trouble, including jail time. People get busted under HIPPA laws all the time.

HIPPA may not apply in your specific case but make absolutely sure. HIPPA INFO HERE

Goodluck in your endeavor.

My intention is to be nothing, if not careful.Thanks for the info.

chrisjohnson · December 26, 2010

My parents have carers coming in twice a day and the carers use the handwritten log book very professionally to inform each other of the status. There is no requirement that any of these nurses be computer savvy; they are hired for their caring qualities and earn a pittance, but that is another story. Many are recent immigrants, others are older generation on minimum wage and no spare money to have learned to use broadband internet on their own time. I'm just glad they have the training and the right caring attitude and can write decent English. Expecting them to maintain on-line blog style communications is impractical; for reliable communication you need the lowest common denominator which is the handwritten log.

I do a lot of work in "connected health" and these kind of ideas scare me. Many forget that only 60% of the population use internet and that percentage is flattening out - I believe there will always be a significant number of people who do NOT go online, despite pressures from banks, governments, utilities, etc. It is bad enough needing a network of carers without them and you being forced to use computers.

I live a long way from my parents and I would like to be able to read the daily log on-line. Still, I think it more important that the daily care visitors and doctors have a 100% reliable way of communicating with each other - handwriting. I can always make an old-fashioned phone call to get my update and it is quicker too.

PS. Divamum mentioned livejournal. I had positive experience with this a couple of years back. Might be what you are looking for.l

sara505 · December 26, 2010

goldenballs wrote: »

My parents have carers coming in twice a day and the carers use the handwritten log book very professionally to inform each other of the status. There is no requirement that any of these nurses be computer savvy; they are hired for their caring qualities and earn a pittance, but that is another story. Many are recent immigrants, others are older generation on minimum wage and no spare money to have learned to use broadband internet on their own time. I'm just glad they have the training and the right caring attitude and can write decent English. Expecting them to maintain on-line blog style communications is impractical; for reliable communication you need the lowest common denominator which is the handwritten log.

I do a lot of work in "connected health" and these kind of ideas scare me. Many forget that only 60% of the population use internet and that percentage is flattening out - I believe there will always be a significant number of people who do NOT go online, despite pressures from banks, governments, utilities, etc. It is bad enough needing a network of carers without them and you being forced to use computers.

I live a long way from my parents and I would like to be able to read the daily log on-line. Still, I think it more important that the daily care visitors and doctors have a 100% reliable way of communicating with each other - handwriting. I can always make an old-fashioned phone call to get my update and it is quicker too.

PS. Divamum mentioned livejournal. I had positive experience with this a couple of years back. Might be what you are looking for.l

Thanks - this is just the kind of feedback I am looking for. I'm still not sure what the difference is, if any, between Livejournal and Blogspot/SmugMug (the latter two open only to selected users and password-protected, natch).

The more I think about this, I have a feeling we will end up doing it the old-fashioned way. And that's fine. Going on-line is an idea I've been toying with for a while, for my initially stated reasons, but I'm not completely attached or committed to it - am still very much in the exploratory phase. I appreciate all comments. Thanks.

Question Re Blogs, On-line Journaling, and Privacy

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