What they don't teach in med school

How much might a graphic description of Mr. Jones' appendectomy go for? How about all the gory details of Ms. Smith's C-section and her ongoing problem with eczema? Ten dollars? Twenty?

Medical records are among our most private records. There is even a federal law saying so. But that did not stop Budget Self Storage in St. Petersburg from scheduling an auction to clear out the contents of a storage unit rented by a doctor who was behind on her payments. Among the items listed to fall under the gavel: "patient medical records."

The auction never happened. Dr. Ana Oquendo paid her bill. Also, she claims to have taken the records out of the unit well prior to the auction date. Still, it was a wake-up call. The same type of situation could recur with some other deadbeat doc (or maybe just a dead doc).

It is hard to believe that a doctor would allow such sensitive records out of his or her custody. It happens, though. Records replete with names, addresses, Social Security numbers, birth dates and detailed medical data are stored and abandoned in ways that could fall into the hands of identity thieves. There are apparently insufficient rules surrounding the proper storage and disposal of old medical records. Federal law protecting patient privacy doesn't provide instructions. And state law says doctors must keep former patients' records for at least five years. After that, whatever.

Here's an idea: Along with a diploma, award medical school graduates a shredder with instructions on how to use it. That's a lot better than, "going, going, gone."