This is absolute bullshit.
Beer habit gets license recalled Pa. man's doctor told state officials about his daily six-packHARRISBURG -- A man who told doctors at a hospital that he drinks more than a six-pack of beer per day is now fighting to get his driver's license back because the physicians apparently reported him to the state.
Keith Emerich, 44, said Tuesday he disclosed his drinking habit in February to doctors who were treating him for an irregular heartbeat.
"I told them it was over a six-pack a day. It wasn't good for me -- I'm not gonna lie," Emerich said in a telephone interview from his home in Lebanon, about 30 miles east of Harrisburg.
Emerich received a notice from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in April that his license was being recalled effective May 6 for medical reasons related to substance abuse. He has petitioned a judge to restore the license, and a hearing has been set for July 29.
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Pennsylvania is one of six states that require doctors to report motorists with medical conditions that could affect their driving ability, according to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.The other states are Delaware, California, Oregon, Nevada, and New Jersey. All other states and the District of Columbia allow physicians to submit reports on a voluntary basis.
This is the kind of shit that makes my blood boil. There are so many things wrong with this that I don’t know where to begin. Sure, driving is a privilege, not a right – I understand that – but this man has not even been accused of driving under the influence. He simply confessed to his doctor, based on his concern for his health, that he drank more than 6 beers a day. The doctor interprets this as substance abuse and is therefore obligated by law to report it to PennDot. Fortunately for me, I live in one (at the moment 2) of the states that requires this crap. Doctor-Patient confidentiality apparently doesn’t apply to the state.
May God have mercy on the soul of the doctor who ever does something responsible like this for me, because I won’t.
Posted by Clancy at July 14, 2004 4:50 PMDoctor/patient confidentiality is a pretty big myth. It's based on legal precedence, not law, and there is just as much precedence going the other way. In cases like this the only law is an explicit order against confidentiality. Another notable one is the almost universally adopted law requiring schools and medical facilities to report suspected child abuse.
That said, this guy should sue his doctor for malpractice. 6 beers a day might not be exceptionally healthy but it is a very far cry from a substance abuse problem. If it was "6 beers in an hour so I can get drunk on my budget" then that would indicate a problem.
Posted by: Jim at July 15, 2004 7:35 AMThis just makes me sick. We literally have no paths left in the world that allow us to talk about issues and needs.
No wonder I checked no on the box.
Posted by: Helen at July 15, 2004 4:19 PM