Sex is an inevitable component of college life for many students. But with sex can come sexually transmitted diseases.

To help concerned students, Washington University Student Health Services offers confidential, but not anonymous, testing. When tested confidentially, the clinic records the test’s results in the student’s private health record. Health Services would only release this information to a third party with the student’s direct consent.

Dr. Laurie Reitman, director of the Student Health and Counseling Service described the testing process.

“With sexually transmitted disease testing, we would write a note in the chart about why you’re coming in, run whatever tests we feel are indicated after discussion with you, and then the results would be kept in your medical record,” she said.

Some programs, such as the Peace Corps, require HIV testing, but Health Services would not release these results without the student’s permission. Additionally, neither insurance companies nor future health care providers may access these records without the student’s consent. Most doctors never view their patients’ former student health records.

Other organizations, however, offer completely anonymous HIV testing to patients. With anonymous testing, students may attach a number or fictitious name to their tissue sample, completely shielding their identity. Clinicians report the results based on these numbers or code names. Medical records show no evidence of these tests.

Metro AIDS, a St. Louis organization, offers such tests. However, Reitman said that by law, Student Health cannot provide this level of privacy.

“Anonymous testing cannot be provided at our facility, per current Missouri regulations involving HIV testing,” she said. “There is no such thing as anonymous STD testing, except HIV, that I am aware of.”

Both Health Services and the lab are required to report positive tests for HIV-and other STDs such as gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, toxic shock, and hepatitis A and B-to the state. Doctors who treat patients with HIV must also report to the state. Reitman said that the results of confidential testing are still classified in most cases.

“Confidential means we do not release that information without your permission, with a couple caveats, unless you’re believed to be an immediate danger to yourself or somebody else. Your medical information is private and that is not released to anybody unless we have your permission to do so,” said Reitman.

Due to the breadth of privacy regulations, clinicians do not discuss each policy with the patient prior to testing, except in the case of HIV tests. However, Health Services does offer documented privacy policies, which students may access before their appointments. After April 15, any student who schedules a test at Health Services or any other clinic will be given the opportunity to review all privacy policies concerning their care.

Junior Stephen Dryer said he sees drawbacks to testing that is confidential but not anonymous.

“There are good things and bad things about it,” he said. “I think people will probably be less likely to go in if they think that the testing that goes on will be revealed somewhere down the line, especially if their name is associated with it.”

On the other hand, he says that a doctor’s awareness of an STD test gives the patient an advantage.

“If you’re going to be seeing a doctor whose best interest is to treat you, knowing what you have and what you don’t have is important for them, regardless of whether you want it to be confidential or not,” said Dryer. “I think they really want to treat their patients, and having the most accurate information as possible on your record is probably a good thing.”

Sophomore Debbie Kravitz agrees that a student’s health, not fear of a future doctor viewing a medical record, should remain the individual’s priority.

“I would hope that if someone thought that they possibly had an STD, they would go to get tested for their own health, regardless of if the testing would be anonymous or not,” she said.

Students with any questions concerning testing confidentiality may contact privacy officer Debra Harp at Health and Counseling.

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