Public Access to Death Certificates

Excerpt

To the Editor: The article by Burnum (1) provides a valuable cautionary note for those using the medical record as a source of information. However, the recommendation to restore the integrity of the chart by regulations restricting public view may conflict with the current attitudes of physicians. Does improving accuracy dominate other issues? To study this question, I surveyed two groups of internists working in private practice to assess their preferences regarding sensitive medical information.

The first questionnaire asked whether public access to death certificates should be restricted in order to protect confidentiality. The second questionnaire asked what should be