Health IT News ran a piece this week about physicians who accept payment in the virtual currency Bitcoin. Dr. Paul Abramson was interviewed on his experiences taking Bitcoin at My Doctor Medical Group in San Francisco.
Abramson, founder of My Doctor Medical Group, is a former software programmer and trained electrical engineer with a significant personal interest in privacy.
It was privacy that drew him to learn more about bitcoins. Early assessments of the technology suggested the bitcoin exchange system had significant anonymity protections that could augment existing medical privacy laws and allow patients who sought the ultimate discretion a nearly invisible form of payment.
“It's important for people to be able to maintain their privacy” about all things, but particularly medical issues, Abramson said.
However, as bitcoin use has expanded, further exploration of its privacy protections has shown that, while it does take some effort to uncover a bitcoin user's identity, it is possible.
You can read the whole article here:
For Reddit r/bitcoin commentary: Reddit commentary on interview
For more information on Bitcoin at My Doctor Medical Group: A Doctor Who Accepts Bitcoin