E-Waste Implications.

What is E-Waste & Where Does It End Up?

E-Waste, the disposal of electronic waste is a global environmental issue. This waste ends up in landfills or is burned in an incinerator. Electronics are composed of some toxic substances such as lead, cadmium & mercury which has the potential to contaminate the environment & it's inhabitants.

Some of the metals that are recycled include steel, aluminum & copper. However , it is costly to have these metals recycled in the U.S. A majority of the e-waste is being exported to areas like China, India or Pakistan where the recycling cost is considerably lower. The workers are responsible for dismantling the old machines. This exposes them to toxic chemicals that can have serious health implications.

I believe that knowingly sending this e-waste to these impoverished areas to be recycled is unethical. It is putting the workers at great risk, affecting not only their health but their future.



Why Should Nurses Care About The Impact of E-Waste?

It is pertinent that nurses care about the impact of e-waste because it poses a major global health risk. The pollution has the potential to affect the world. Nurses as patient advocates have to care, become informed, educate people about e-waste. Nurses have to provide a voice for all those people being affected who have no idea of the potential risk and long term health effects of being exposed to these toxins.


What Is Being Done?

Some companies have addressed the e-waste problem by producing Take back programs which collects old computer/electronic equipment. The production of lead free products would eliminate the possibility of contamination.

Want more info? Watch this interesting video from Greenpeace provided in references.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sMOAWW6I0k

What Can I Do?

You may be asking yourself "What can I do about it?"

• Stay informed!

• Become involved

• Take action!
  

• Stop them!

It is our duty to fight for our rights! It is our duty to fight for our privacy! This will not happen if we do not take an active approach. Become an advocate for patient privacy by contacting your legislators & becoming a voice for change.

What About The Right To Privacy?

Doesn't this all seem like a violation of your rights? Absolutely, the wide access to sensitive patient medical information does violate your rights. It goes against The Bill of Rights - Amendment IV.

There are various legislations being introduced some of which include the "Wired for health Care Quality Act" (S. 1418). One of the purposes of this act is to "enhance the adoption of a nationwide interoperable health information technology system". This sounds great however, it protects security not privacy!

What is being done to rectify this situation? An amendment was proposed the "Wired for Health Care Quality Act, S. 1693. Also the Promoting Health Information Technology Act, H.R. 3800 was introduced which is a companion to the wired act. It's purpose is to provide patient privacy rights providing privacy protection. The Trust Act, H.R. 5442 places the patient back in control of their health data.

HIPAA Issues.

When patients think of the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) they may believe that patient information & confidentiality is being protected and enforced. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Patient rights were eliminated in 2003 when regulatory changes to HIPAA occurred.

These changes granted private companies corporations, individuals & government agencies the ability to access your medical information without your knowledge and consent. This also opened the nation's health records to millions of companies, organizations & agencies giving them the right to access for any "routine" use.

As a result of this, patients will not receive any notification of "routine" use & disclosure of personal private medical information. These so-called uses will not be tracked by anyone. As if that wasn't enough access is retroactive! That indicates that they have access to prior information and future information regardless of payment arrangement or prior guarantee to privacy.

Patient Information & Privacy Disregarded.

Would you like all of your personal and / or medical information to be accessible to millions of people? Whether you like it or not this is what has been occurring. Hospital Information Technology is rapidly advancing providing the production of new technologies for patient medical information. This advancement and accessibility to patient medical information via electronic databases combined with HIPAA regulatory changes of 2003 has eliminated your rights to privacy.