HIPPA violation if the patient isn't in your facility?

[MoonlightRose]

The situation: A nurse knows a friend is pregnant and outs the pregnancy on Facebook. The patient goes to a different hospital and doesn't receive care in the same facility the nurse works in. The information was obtained through the patient themselves but was expecting the nurse to keep the information private. is I still a violation of medical information/HIPPA violation if the patient doesn't recover care in the same facility the nurse works at?

[Wuzzie]

OP says that in the course of them announcing their wedding on FB, the meanie jumped in and outed the pregnancy.

Except we don't know for sure if it was done in spite. After all the father-to-be told them about the pregnancy and we weren't told if she was told to keep it a secret at all. Nor were we told exactly what she said. There's a big difference between "congratulations to the beautiful couple on their marriage and their new baby" and "just so ya'll know they HAD to get married cuz she's knocked up".

[JKL33]

Agreed. The only point I meant to clarifiy was exactly what I wrote - I think, above, there was a misunderstanding that OP herself had shared the pg info with friends on FB first - which if I understand correctly, she did not. She shared a wedding announcement. I am only directly referring to what she posted and then later on, a couple of respondents who seem to have misunderstood (#67 and 68).

It's one thing for us to express our opinions on how goofy this whole thing is, but no point in making it [seem] even worse d/t misunderstanding what she wrote, KWIM? It's already bad enough as is - I figured I'd throw a bone, so to speak.

[nurseluckett, MSN]

I understand what your friend did was a breach to your friendship. If you don't want someone to know information you can't tell that information or it will leak out. Even if she worked at the same faculty as you receive care this would not have been a breach of HIPAA if you told her this as a friend. The only time it would be is if she was involved personally in your medical care or accessed your chart. The fact that it was outed on FB accidently seems odd if you told her that you didn't want anyone to know yet. The fact that you actually thought about going to her boss over an issue in your friendship seems to indicate there may be more to the turmoil in the friendship. Her breach ruins a surprise for the family. Your potential action could ruin a career.

[TeeKay12]

By your own admission, your husband is the one who outed you. To his best friend. Is it possible your hubby told the friend, who then told his wife and forgot to say "And they really want it to remain private for a little longer"? Why are you so obsessed with nailing this woman to the wall? Because she outed you? Or is there a more 'embarrassing' reason? Few people care if a couple engage in sex before marriage anymore. It's not that big a deal. Let this all go. She did nothing wrong. She wasn't really a friend to begin with, again by your own admission. She's your husband's best friend's wife. If you feel you need to do something about it, just let her know how much it hurt you. Professionally, she has done nothing wrong and cannot be 'punished' because she hurt your feelings and made your husband's family think less of you. Shake it off, pull up your big girl panties, and concentrate on your new marriage and your new pregnancy.

[Shar188]

Don't get me wrong, i feel for you in the sense that she shouldn't have opened her mouth about your pregnancy, because that was your news to deliver. But this whole thread seems as though you are trying to get validation to go report her for something. And in this situation you can't. If she gives you direct care, or looks in the chart while someone else cares for you, by all means. But at the least, it's HIPAA. I hate to be petty like that 😂 but it drives me crazy

[Shar188]

I'm am feeling like home girl is just loving all the drama and attention tbh. As I've gone thru some of the comments, it's the same thing. Woe is me pity me. Yes. Not being in charge of disclosing your pregnancy sucks. But come one. ::eye rolll::

[Jolie, BSN]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that the OP chose to transfer care to the clinic where her former friend is employed after knowing that the former friend shared news of her pregnancy, yet wants to report the former friend for a non-existent HIPAA violation.

If I were the manager of this clinic and the OP came to me with this story, I would respectfully decline to accept this patient. In the real world, there are clients who are simply not worth the trouble they bring to a business. This is one of those instances.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that the OP chose to transfer care to the clinic where her former friend is employed after knowing that the former friend shared news of her pregnancy, yet wants to report the former friend for a non-existent HIPAA violation.

If I were the manager of this clinic and the OP came to me with this story, I would respectfully decline to accept this patient. In the real world, there are clients who are simply not worth the trouble they bring to a business. This is one of those instances.

Good for you!

And again -- imagine my surprise that the "friend" doesn't like the OP!

[JadedCPN, BSN, RN]

Really?? You have nothing better to do at this stage in your life with your age, marriage, and now blessing of a pregnancy that instead you are dead set on potentially ruining someone's career simply because YOU got butthurt?! Sweet jesus if that isn't the most petty immature thing I've heard in a while.

You can say she was a crappy friend (although if your husband didn't tell her it was a secret/not to say anything, then she truly did nothing wrong at all). But you need to grow up and move on.

[Lottie Spence]

I'm not clear on the surrounding circumstances. If the friend told the nurse as her friend in confidence, then the nurse shouldn't have outed her on FACEBOOK. But, I don't see how the nurse violated HIPPA because it didn't say anything about the nurse accessing and medical records to get the information. Maybe she should reconsider their friendship.

[Lottie Spence]

I'm not clear on the surrounding circumstances. If the friend told the nurse as her friend in confidence, then the nurse shouldn't have outed her on FACEBOOK. But, I don't see how the nurse violated HIPPA because it didn't say anything about the nurse accessing any medical records to get the information. Maybe she should reconsider their friendship.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I wasn't sure if spreading private medical information only applied if the patient was receiving care in the same facility. So she's off the hook on a technicality.

Actually, she was never on the hook to begin with...that is, UNLESS she was directly involved in the care you received at the facility--as in she was your assigned nurse--or if it could be proven that she accessed your EMR.

So while your friend might have been a jerk, she hasn't violated any law.

Sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear.

Congratulations on the pregnancy!