hiv test

[A1A2A3]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, Can a hospital do a rapid hiv test before a Cesarean Surgery without my consent? Can a hospital or doctor refuse me because I do not consent for hiv testing? Here is the story, I refuse to be tested at my Doctor's office because my personal reasons, I been in a monogamous relationship for 10 years and I did a test recently and was negative. Ok I know I still at risk because you can't be 100% sure of your husband, but I know I have the option for an annonymous test and that is how I always do it. The Doctor told me the hospital will do a rapid hiv test before the Cesarean Surgery and if I don't want to be tested I will have to have the baby at home because all the hospitals in Philadelphia do the rapid test without consent. It is true? I don't want to be forced, how can I protect my rights?

 

[swalsh411]

You're being selfish. What about the rights of the hospital workers not to be exposed to HIV? Or at least to know if a patient they are operating on has it? We're not talking about who you sit next to on the bus; this is surgery and there can be complications.

Have they said you cannot go there if you don't consent to the test?

 

[lealea1005]

Define "recently".

 

[A1A2A3]

I did the test on december 2009. I am not selfish, the Doctor have the option to assume I am infected and take all the preventions. If you go to the ER after a car accident and you need an operation they don't test you. They don't test you before any other surgery. Why they have to force you when you're pregnant? I already said I will do the test not because them, just because my baby deserve to be healthy. I just trying to know what is the LAW.

 

[ecmst12]

Medical personell are supposed to take the EXACT same precautions for every patient regardless of knowledge of their HIV status. You should talk to your doctor's boss and consider changing doctors if it's not too late in your pregnancy.

 

[lealea1005]

It's not about you or the staff. HIV testing is done before elective C-sections to prevent transmission to the baby at birth.

 

[ecmst12]

Is it really done routinely though?

 

[lealea1005]

Is it really done routinely though?

Depends upon the hospital's policy I guess. It is routine in larger teaching hospitals. Not so sure about smaller community hospitals.

 

[FarmerJ]

A1 ALL hospital ,nursing home, dr clinic, dental clinic staff including group home staff who staff homes where DD clients live get training on the sbject of blood born pathogens and prevention of transmission of blood born pathogens as well as infectious illness that will include proper use of personal protective gear , gloves, mask , face shields where appropriate and any other tool or gear item needed since all clients are to be treated the same. A1 it is not uncommon in some areas for all blood draws to end up with a anonymous unmarked sample to be sent for test , when they are done that way the tested result has no name or patient records tied to it but it is done t moniter HIV rates in the general population , If your really wanting more information re the legal aspects of it a good place to get it would be from a HIV support project in one of the larger citys in your state, since they also would be tied to prevention projects or have links as to where the info can be found.