The article featuring Jim Pyles’ comments, “42 CFR Part 2 Proposed Rule Would Allow ‘General’ Consent,” is published in the February 15 issue of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Weekly. It discusses patient privacy considerations of the proposed rule governing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
James C. Pyles, Principal with Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville and an expert on health information technology, describes the proposal as “another example of the attitude promoted by some vendor and mental health associations that are not subject to standards of professional ethics that we could really improve the health care system if we could just get rid of the patients.”
“It would appear that, based on SAMHSA’s own rationale for the proposed rule, the proposed rule conflicts with SAMHSA’s mission, which is ‘to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities,’” observes Pyles. “The only way this rule could be consistent with SAMHSA’s mission is if that mission would be furthered by discouraging individuals from seeking mental health and substance abuse treatment.”
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