Happy Data Protection Day!

The Data Protection Day this year found me in the hospital, following a minor operation. Here is how it went:

1. In the morning, I arrived at 6 in order to be admitted. The receptionist handed me a consent letter that I had to sign in order for my picture to be taken for my file. Purpose for the picture, unknown… They had already IDed me and I was already given the necessary tags with barcodes etc.
2. The nurse guided me to my room where a fellow patient/roommate was sleeping and was suddenly awakened by the lights turned on. She then proceeded to take my whole history and check me in, in front of the other patient. Orally.
3. Once the operation was done, I was escorted to the same room for recovery. There were no privacy curtains or screens around each bed, we were all one big happy family.
4. Every few hours nurses would come in and ask the following questions outloud in alternation:
   • How is your pain level?
   • Have you passed gas?
   • Have you pooped?
   • Are you itchy?
5. Then the roommate’s doctor came in and proceeded to explain her whole diagnosis, prognosis, follow up surgery that she needed to have urgently; orally and outloud. I sat in silence, mostly embarassed by the fact that the person next to me was really suffering and I was there for something minor.
6. The person in charge of psychological and mental support came and had a half hour discussion with my roommate about all her concerns and fears. She was crying unconsolably and sharing her most inner thoughts…
7. The roommate had a visitor – still no curtains, me in my hospital gown, just painting the picture here.
8. Then my doctor came and proceeded to explain what he found during my surgery, in front of my roommate and her guest. I asked when I could start rehabilitation and sport, the whole room laughed (still pondering on why as I don’t even understand why the whole room was part of this conversation).

You get where I am going with this?

Are those incidents justified because of:

• The double room situation? A hospital can’t have all single rooms after all…
• The medical surrounding? As in “everything is confidential here anyway”…
• The fact that I am also a patient and the other person’s medical data is shared with me so one nullifies the other?
• The fact that we do not know each other so there is no risk of exposure? And what if we did? Or what if we do in the future?
• The emergency of the situation that does not give enough time and space for privacy protocols to be followed?

In my opinion, NO. It’s not only about privacy in this case but also about patient dignity.

What do you think? What’s your take on this balancing test?