URGENT PATIENT WARNING: READ BEFORE YOU SIGN!

Introduction: Health Records, Artificial Intelligence, and Organ Procurement Access Hidden Inside Medical Consent Forms when confirming appointments.

An investigative report is being conducted based on our findings. Is this type of language and actions only in a certain area? Or, is it in every organization that's named or in all of them? If you're a patient of any of the listed organizations, you should be concerned.

A Simple Check - Up

What began as a routine attempt to schedule an annual physical turned into one of the most disturbing discoveries I have ever made.

Like many patients, I wanted to confirm my doctor's appointment and complete the paperwork ahead of time. I received a text message from my neighborhood health clinic that stated:

“Complete PreCheck-In Online with a link. Reply 1 to confirm, Reply 2 to reschedule, Reply 3 to cancel. ”I replied “1” to confirm my appointment and followed the link to finish setting up my patient chart. I expected to provide my insurance information and complete the usual intake forms. What I found instead raised serious questions about privacy, Artificial Intelligence, Organ Procurement, and how our health information may be accessed and shared—even when we refuse consent.

FIRST SHOCK: YOUR DOCTOR VISIT MAY BE RECORDED, AND PROCESSED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, ETC.

As I worked through the online forms, I encountered a notice titled:

NOTICE OF RECORDING, USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND USE OF HEALTH INFORMATION

The notice explained that new technology may record audio during medical appointments and use Artificial Intelligence to generate medical notes based on what is said during the visit. The form stated that my healthcare provider would ask for verbal consent before recording to ensure I was comfortable. I immediately declined. In my view, there is no reason for my private conversations with my physician to be recorded and processed by outside technology systems.

Patients deserve to know:

• Whether their voice will be recorded

• Whether Artificial Intelligence will process the recording

• Where that data will be stored

• Who may have access to it?

• How long will it be retained?

SECOND SHOCK: A NETWORK OF CONNECTED HOSPITALS AND PHYSICIAN GROUPS

As I continued, I was presented with a list of healthcare organizations connected through the HealtheConnections health information exchange and affiliated with the Montefiore Health System.

The organizations listed included:

• Montefiore Health System

• Burke Rehabilitation Center

• Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital

• Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital

• Montefiore Nyack Hospital

• Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital

• Schaffer Extended Care Center

• White Plains Hospital

• White Plains Hospital Physician Associates

• Scarsdale Medical Group

• Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care

These institutions participate in systems that allow health information to be shared among authorized and UNAUTHORIZED providers and organizations.

THE PROVISION THAT STOPPED ME COLD

Under “Details about the information accessed through HealtheConnections and the consent process,” I reached Item Number 5 (which read):

Public Health and Organ Procurement Organization Access:

Federal, state, or local public health agencies and certain organ procurement organizations are authorized by law to access health information without a patient’s consent for certain public health and organ transplant purposes. These entities may access your information through HealtheConnections whether you give consent, deny consent, or do not complete a consent form.

I read it several times.

The meaning was unmistakable.

Certain organizations associated with organ procurement may access patient health information even if the patient explicitly refuses consent.

WHY THIS MATTERS

The issue is not whether institutions claim this access is authorized by law.

The issue is that patients are being told that, regardless of whether they sign, deny, or ignore the consent form, certain organizations and third-party entities involved in organ procurement may still gain access to their health records AND THEIR BODIES. AND YOUR BODY! I don't know if you've heard about people who had donor status on their cards, and after the doctors saw that, they stopped giving them medical treatment. You can find these stories online.

That raises urgent questions about:

• Medical privacy

• Informed consent

• Patient autonomy

• Institutional transparency

• Public trust

A CONVERSATION THAT SHOOK OUR ORGANIZATION

When I shared this discovery with members of The Virtuous Hearts Foundation, they were stunned.

One member, Kathy, said:

“So I could have a medical emergency, need medical attention, and one of these organizations can access my information even if I refused consent or didn't give it?” And in fact, they can take my organs for transplants and shit? She was visibly shaken by this, as well.

Her reaction reflected what many patients feel when they first encounter this language: surprise, concern, and a desire for clear answers.

Several members immediately began researching healthcare providers and facilities to better understand their privacy practices and to determine which institutions best aligned with their expectations for transparency and patient respect.

OUR BODY AUTONOMY MATTERS

Our bodies belong to us. Our medical information belongs to us. No one should sign any healthcare document involving Artificial Intelligence, audio recording, or health information sharing without reading every word and asking every question necessary to understand what is being disclosed.

QUESTIONS EVERY PATIENT SHOULD ASK

1. Will my appointment be audio recorded?

2. Will Artificial Intelligence be used?

3. Who has access to my medical records?

4. What organizations are connected to this exchange?

5. What does “organ procurement organization access” mean?

6. What information may be viewed without my consent?

7. What choices do I have?

A CALL TO THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC

Since 2020, the press has not been there for the people. So, we're bringing this issue to the attention of every individual who relies on the healthcare system. This is not a call to panic. It is a call to read. It is a call to ask questions. It is a call to demand transparency. Patients deserve providers who are open, honest, and respectful of the trust we placed in them.

FINAL MESSAGE

Before you click “I Agree,” read every word. Before you sign, ask questions. Before you share your most private information, understand exactly what is being disclosed. Your health matters. Your records matter. Your voice matters. Your choices matter. AND YOUR CONSENT DEFINITELY MATTERS! Your body belongs to you.

What do you think? Should healthcare providers do more to clearly explain how Artificial Intelligence, health information exchanges, and organ procurement organizations may access patient information? And why isn't this information told to us in the open?