Doctor refuses to see me because I expressed reservations about having to share my social security number. What should I do?

Questions
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TL;DR: I got a call today from my dermatologist’s office to confirm my appointment, which is this Friday. The receptionist asked me for my social security number. I asked her why. She said it is a requirement. I told her I had seen a different doctor, in the same private clinic, and was not required to do that. She told me that they require it, to which I said fine, but that I’m not happy about it. As I was about to give her my social security number, the receptionist told me that the doctor doesn’t want to see me anymore and hung up on me.

FULL STORY:

I made an appointment with a dermatologist two weeks ago. Last week I went to his office to confirm my appointment, because I hadn’t received their email confirmation, which requires a reply, and is typically sent a week before the appointment.

I never saw the doctor, only the receptionist. I confirmed that I would be there on the agreed upon date (this Friday). In addition, I asked the receptionist to tell me about their privacy practices. She didn’t seem to have a clue what I was talking about. The other receptionist intervened and said that they would send me that information in their confirmation email that they would send me the next day. I said ok.

I explained to the receptionist that one of the reasons I inquired about their privacy practices, is because I have noticed that they use a Gmail address to correspond with patients, and that I was not comfortable with that, because there would be no medical confidentiality.

CONTEXT:

I recently read Carissa Véliz ’ fantastic book Privacy in Power , in which she asserts the following about medical data:

[…] medical data is very sensitive – it can lead to stigmatization, discrimination, and worse. […]

Demand privacy from every professional you interact with who asks for your data. Ask questions. Be careful with your medical data. […]

Ask your doctor, dentist, and other health professionals about their privacy practices. Tell them that you don’t consent to your data being shared in any way with anyone.

All this is to point out that even if my dermatologist didn’t use a Gmail account for his practice, I would still ask about his privacy practices, because I care about my privacy. Inquiring about privacy practices is now a default question I will always ask when dealing with a new doctor or healthcare professional.

I previously had an appointment with a GP in the same clinic, and I asked the same question to the receptionist. Similarly to the dermatologist’s receptionist, she didn’t know what to say. However, the GP overheard me from her office, and yelled that she would answer my question during our appointment, which she did. Thoroughly. I appreciated it.

BACK TO THE STORY:

Still at the office, I explained to my dermatologist’s receptionist that because I am not comfortable sending an e-mail to their Gmail address, I will send them a password protected encrypted e-mail.

I gave the receptionist a unique pass phrase that she would need to read the encrypted e-mail, and said that I would send it next week, which is this week.

CUT TO TODAY

Today, a week later, I got a call from the dermatologist’s receptionist.
She said that the doctor does not read emails about the patient’s medical history before appointments. I hadn’t sent my encrypted email yet, but I said that it was fine, and that I’ll just explain my medical history during the appointment.

She asked me if I still intended to come to the appointment, and I reiterated that I would be there.

CUT TO WHEN THINGS GO OFF THE RAILS

She asked me for my social security number.

I asked her why. She said it is a requirement. I told her that I was not comfortable giving that. I also explained that I had seen a different doctor, in the same private clinic, and was not required to do that.

She told me that they require it, to which I reluctantly agreed, but expressed that I’m not happy about it. As I was about to give her my social security number, the receptionist told me that the doctor doesn’t want to see me anymore and hung up on me.

When I called back, she answered but said absolutely nothing. Literally silence. I asked her why she hung up as I was about to give her my SS number, and she didn’t respond.

I’m planning to go there tomorrow morning before their office even opens. I don’t trust that they would let me if I arrive after their office is already open.

This is unprofessional. I got hung up on just because I asked questions. I suspect that the dermatologist was next to her when she was on the phone with me. To refuse to see me just because I asked questions and expressed reservations about my privacy potentially not being respected is insane. I was about to give them what they wanted, I agreed to tell them my SS number, but because I respectfully expressed my reservations, they hung up on me.

I’m really pissed because he’s the only dermatologist that’s very close to where I live.

COMMENTS FROM FRIENDS & FAMILY:

My best friend thinks that I should be apologetic when I go see them tomorrow. Even if I did nothing wrong. I don’t intend to raise my voice, but apologizing feels out of the question.

My sister thinks I was being too difficult, and that I’m too privacy conscious. She says I’m making things hard for myself for no good reason. She also thinks that even if by some miracle the dermatologist changes his mind and agrees to see me, I should decline and see someone else. The waiting list could be long, though. And I don’t like the idea of having to go see one outside my neighborhood.

What do y’all think of this story? Was I in the wrong? What would you do in my shoes at this point?

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They often want it for debt collection purposes.
Stand your ground and say no, there is no legal requirement for them to collect it or any requirement for insurance purposes either.

If you like the doctor, try to contact someone else there if you can and be polite but firm.

Otherwise, give your business to some other place.

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Thanks for the support. It’s weird, because it’s a private practice, and I’m paying cash.

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Honestly I would not go there? What for? To proove your point?
If your paying cash, like already said take your buisnes elswhere.
And maby leave a review somewhere :wink:

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5

Now that you’re on such bad terms with the clinic, it’s better to get out, no matter who is in the wrong.

I don’t think you, the receptionist, or the doctor are majorly in the wrong. You have a right to ask about their privacy policy and to exercise your rights. The receptionist probably has no idea what you’re talking about and defers to the doctor. The doctor also probably doesn’t understand why you care so much, and likely suspects that you are a criminal or an illegal immigrant, or something like that. They possibly fear you, and as a private clinic, are not obliged to offer their services to someone who is making things difficult for them, namely by not agreeing to use the same communication platform and provide the same information as every other patient who stepped into their clinic.

They may be unwilling to click on any links anyone send them, with good reason. They may believe its not their job to educate themselves on why they ought to click on a link you send them, and why such link can be trusted.

Should they know better? Should they use something other than gmail? Should they take your privacy seriously and absolutely not refuse their services to someone who takes their privacy seriously? Yes, yes, and yes. But unfortunately, like almost everyone else, they don’t know better, and they learned nothing about this in their training and education.

I hope that doesn’t sound cold, because I do feel for you. Although I said I don’t think they’re doing anything wrong, I am far more confident in the belief that you are not doing anything wrong.

But I don’t think you’ll find a doctor who respects your digital privacy.

What we need are laws which make doctors obliged to take your digital privacy seriously, or at the very least make them obliged to comply with patients who demand higher privacy standards than the general population.

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Thank you for your comment. I want to clarify a couple of things. I reluctantly agreed to give my social security number. I expressed my reservations, asked them to give me a reason why they needed it, and they didn’t give me one. I basically acquiesced to their request. Explicitly so. And it’s when I was about to give them my social security number that I got hung up on. I was going to give them what they wanted, and they hung up on me.

Moreover, I want to remind you that I saw another doctor in the same clinic, and when I asked about her privacy policy, she explained it to me thoroughly, and kindly.

UPDATE:

APPOINTMENT STILL CANCELLED AFTER CONFRONTING RECEPTIONISTS

Yesterday morning I went to the dermatologist’s clinic as I said I would, to get an explanation. I arrived about an hour before they opened. When the receptionist arrived, she saw me waiting in front of the door. She was surprised to see me.

I greeted her, and calmly asked her to confirm if she was the one I spoke to yesterday. She admitted she was. Let’s call her Jane. I told Jane I was confused. That when we spoke, she asked me for my social security number, and as I was about to give it to her, she hung up on me. I asked her why.

Jane said it was because the doctor asked her to. I asked her why the doctor asked her to hang up, when I agreed to give her the information she asked. She was very uncomfortable and didn’t know what to say. She quietly called a colleague on her phone to tell her I was here. Then she told me that she was new, and had just started, and that Mary, the receptionist that she is replacing, will arrive to explain the situation. I said ok.

THE LIES BEGIN

Mary the departing receptionist arrives to unlock the door. I greet her and ask if I can come in, and she says yes. Mary then begins the conversation by asking me how I can help her book an appointment. I told Mary I was confused. Explained that I was on the phone yesterday with Jane, and she told me that the doctor didn’t want to see me anymore, and hung up on me. And that when I called back, someone answered but said nothing. Jane was there and looked very uncomfortable.

The Phone has Bad Connection

Mary apologizes and replies that their phone has connection issues, which I was very skeptical of. I asked Mary why Jane hung up on me, and she couldn’t give me an explanation but would be happy to book me another appointment. I asked why my original appointment, which was supposed to be today, was cancelled. Mary couldn’t give me an explanation.

They value medical privacy

She just kept saying she can book me a new appointment if I filled out some forms. I look at the forms, which includes their privacy policy, and in it there is a section that says they may share information with third parties or the government for medical research. I did not consent to that.

My appointment was filled by someone else

After I hand back the filled forms, I asked why I couldn’t get the exact same appointment that was originally booked, and she said that after my appointment was cancelled it was filled by someone else.

I don’t believe that. When Jane called me the day before to confirm my appointment, she called me right as they were about to close. I came to their office the next day, before they opened. It’s very unlikely that in between that time window, someone else took my slot which was booked months in advance.

Mary refutes Jane’s account

Mary told me that they will call me to confirm a new date for my appointment. I said that was fine, but that I still wanted an explanation for why I was hung up on. She couldn’t give me one, and said that the doctor would never hang up on me, or ask the receptionist to hang up on me, when just minutes ago Jane told me exactly that. That the doctor told her to hang up. And keep in mind, Jane is right there, staying quiet, avoiding my gaze, and looking very uncomfortable.

Mary thinks it’s ok to compromise patients’ privacy

Moreover, as I explained my issues with their privacy policy, I also told Mary that when I first came to their office months ago to inquire about making an appointment, I was asked what my medical issue was. I was asked this question in the reception, in front of other patients waiting. Jane didn’t work at this office at that time, so it was probably Mary who made this blunder. I asked her if, in light of this, she understood why I would be concerned about my medical privacy?

Mary’s excuse was that often patients go to the wrong specialist by mistake. They might have been referred to a cardiologist, but accidentally make an appointment with a radiologist, as it almost sounds the same.

Even if that were true, it’s not a good reason to compromise a patient’s privacy.
After I insisted on getting an explanation for why I hung up on, Mary told me that she and Jane had to go, even though the office was completely empty. They told me that they would call me back to confirm a new appointment, but I doubt it.

CONCLUSION

My guess is, either they will never call me, or they’ll call me to tell me again that the doctor doesn’t want to see me and won’t give me a reason.

I firmly believe Jane’s account that the doctor told her to hang up on me. When I spoke to her on the phone, I could tell that someone was next to her. Either the doctor told her to hang up, or Mary did.

You might wonder why I may still want to book an appointment at this point. Unfortunately, there is quite an urgency, and this dermatologist is the closest to my location. All the other ones are much further away, and the waiting could be months. That said, I’m still going to consider another doctor.

MY TAKEAWAYS

I just hate being treated this way, like I’m a crazy person. I was reading local tech forums that are specific to the location I’m in, and it’s clear that nobody here cares about privacy. They love Telegram, think it’s actually private when it’s not, There is so much misinformation. Trying to convert someone to make better privacy tools or even asking questions makes it look like I’m part of a cult.

I also feel like I’m not a compelling communicator, which makes me feel weak. Being eloquent and persuasive with language, makes a huge difference. I need to work on that.

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If that dermatologist really is your only option, then do what you have to do. Don’t compromise your health in a minor attempt to protect your privacy.

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