Paula interrupted. “I wouldn’t be able to tell you whether they were part of the test or not. Do you remember our conversation regarding the level of security for iDoc? It is taken very seriously. As part of our preliminary approval, we certified that we would respect HIPAA. Even if I were in a position to find out, which I couldn’t, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.”
Paula’s comments were interrupted by a sudden chorus of “YES! YES! YES!” coming through the wall from Joe’s apartment. His neighbor had apparently come home early. George dashed into his bedroom and closed the door.
“What was that noise?” Paula asked. Apparently it had been loud enough for her to hear.
“A neighbor. Probably a TV.”
“Your walls must be paper-thin.”
“It’s not the best construction,” George admitted. He winced. Now she had a hint of how decrepit his apartment was. Since sounds could still be heard from Joe’s apartment he went into his bathroom and closed the door. He sat on the lowered toilet seat. At least it was quiet.
“I didn’t hear your last response,” he said. “Could you repeat?”
“I said I couldn’t tell you what you asked even if I could find out.”
“Just so you know, this isn’t about me wanting iDoc to fail.”
“I hope not, George. At the same I time I could understand if you are a little pissed that I took your suggestion and ran with it without at least letting you know. I was specifically told not to for security reasons. iDoc is a huge investment. But please don’t make a fool of yourself over this. Wild public accusations about iDoc will reflect badly on you. I promise you, if there are any problems with iDoc, I will let you know. So far there have been no problems. None!”
He knew she was going say that. “My motivation has nothing to do with spite.”
“I hope not. I am more certain than ever that iDoc is the future of medicine in the digitalized world. Doctors had their chance to continue to lead medicine, but they didn’t take it.”
“I can see iDoc’s potential, believe me. It truly is amazing. But I can’t ignore what I believe is a very real glitch or something.”
“And how would iDoc be responsible for these premature deaths?”
“You tell me.”
Paula sighed, purposefully wanting George to hear her reaction. “The beta test is huge, George. Twenty thousand client-patients. There are bound to be some inexplicable medical events and deaths. I am sure that all deaths of beta-test participants are being looked at very carefully. And I’ll bet that iDoc has probably prevented many deaths, as it would have saved your mother. People with serious illnesses are the ones whom iDoc will actually help the most.”
“Why do you believe that?”
“It’s simple. iDoc is able to titrate lifesaving medication according to real-time physiological values rather than trying to treat symptoms, which is the old ‘sick’ care medical paradigm. iDoc is the perfect primary-care doctor since it is based on an algorithm that is capable of learning and will be continuously upgraded as new medical information is incorporated.”
“I’m concerned it can’t handle what’s on its plate now.”
“You know what a Luddite doctor is, George? I run across them all the time. MDs who have been dragging their feet in the acceptance of digitalized medicine, even something as intuitive as electronic records. Come on! This is a no-brainer!”
“You have a point. A strong one. But that isn’t my issue. I’m concerned about iDoc not operating as you intended. Listen, I appreciate everything you’ve said. I just hope you can allay my concerns.”
“Okay. I’ll look into it. Promise.”
“Can we still get together?”
She laughed. “Of course we can still get together. It was my idea, remember?”
“I think I can explain better in person. Believe me, I am not motivated in the slightest by spite, or pique for that matter.”
“Okay,” she laughed.
“Well, I’m free for the holiday weekend. For the first time in three years!”
“Unfortunately, since I didn’t hear from you about Saturday I have made other plans. I’m scheduled to go to Hawaii in the morning. I’ll be back Monday night. Let’s talk then.”
“Okay. Sounds good,” George replied, hiding his disappointment. “Have fun! Bye.”
“Bye.” She hung up.
George went back out to his living room and sat on his threadbare couch listening through the wall to the sex session still going on. The difference in lifestyle between him and Paula sunk in heavily. The idea of going to Hawaii for the weekend was beyond his comprehension. It reminded him of what his grandmother had told him more than once:
We live and die by our choices in life. They make us who we are.
30
Debbie enjoyed tormenting Clayton. Why he was so worried about George anyway was beyond her. But since he was, and since he had come to her for help, she was going to use it to her advantage.
Once Clayton showed up at her place, Debbie made him pay. For forcing her to spend time with George, for one. And for entertaining someone other than herself, for another. She knew it was a woman and took great delight in having made Clayton rush away from whatever they had been up to. Whoever the broad was, she had to be steaming mad, even though Clayton had probably used the excuse he had to go back to the hospital.
Eventually, after making him grovel sufficiently, Debbie got around to telling Clayton about George’s progressive interest in the five sudden deaths, at least three of whom were iDoc test subjects.
“He actually asked me to look in the ER records to tell him whether the other two patients were part of your iDoc study.”
“And what did you say?” Clayton demanded. Finally he had gotten her talking.
“I told him no. I’m not going to risk a HIPAA violation. Listen, Clayton, the fact that he even thought he could ask me such a thing is your fault. You have me asking him out. You know he’s not my type. He lives in a fucking shithole.”
Oh, the irony, Clayton thought. If only he could tell her exactly what caliber of man she deserved. Self-awareness was not Debbie’s strong suit. Whatever did he see in her before? Well, he knew the answer to that. Now he had to keep reminding himself that this was work. Just think of the stock options, he kept telling himself.
“George is also interested in knowing if Salvatore DeAngelis had a reservoir inserted by iDoc. He thinks he did, but he wants to be certain.”
An alarm bell went off in Clayton’s brain. He could feel his face redden.
“What is he talking about?” Debbie questioned. “What is a reservoir? How does it relate to your iDoc?”
“It’s something technical. But I’m interested he talked about it. Just tell me everything that he said.”
Debbie gave him the whole story as she remembered it. Clayton listened closely, asking questions and making her repeat things to make sure she was remembering them correctly. When he was satisfied he’d gotten everything he could from her, he stood up, ready to leave.
Debbie was horrified. “Where are you going? Don’t leave now!” She jumped up, grabbing his favorite single-malt scotch, which she kept on a sideboard.
“I have to go. Sorry. It’s not even an option to stay.” He didn’t want to leave any doubt in her mind that he was leaving. Five more minutes in her faux-everything living room was more than he could bear, even though he could remember a few wild scenes in the past when the decor wasn’t an issue.