Am I violating HIPAA

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I work at home as a care coordinator and leave my files face up on my desk and do not ever lock them. I mean, someone can just sit at my chair and see four or five names popping out of the little stacks. Am I violating HIPAA by doing this and if so, do you think I will be fired by the big insurance company I work for? My husband has just turned me in to the feds for being negligent with the information.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Are you violating HIPAA? Well, since it requires that medical records are restricted so that only those with the appropriate authorization can see them, then yes. Assuming your husband is not authorized, he has access to information that should be restricted. If information is freely available, anyone wandering into your home (with or without permission) could access this protected information. Sounds like you need to contact your if you have it or TAANA Executive Office - Home for a lawyer familiar with nursing issues if you don't.

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Specializes in ORTHO, PCU, ED.

Your husband turned you in!? What kind of spouse it that!?! How mean!!!

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Since this person just signed up and this is their first post, I'm thinking it's either a troll or a homework assignment.

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Specializes in ORTHO, PCU, ED.
Since this person just signed up and this is their first post, I'm thinking it's either a troll or a homework assignment.

I fell for it again!!! Urr

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

OP's not feeling the love. :no:attachment.php?attachmentid=20812&stc=1

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

One of these two scenarios applies here:

  1. This is a serious question, with serious implications. But rather than go to a definitive source of information, you have chosen to ask a random bunch of users of a social media site for the answer to your serious question.
  2. This is either a poor attempt at completing a homework assignment, or a very poorly constructed homework assignment. What real knowledge is gained from the random responses received?

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Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

If this is true, your husband is an ***hole

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

Short answer to your (hypothetical?) question: yes.

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Besides my first response of "I was FRAMED"

I would say this is a trick question. I am not sure who in this day and age has paper files laying around at home. Notes, maybe, but full files? Not so much, as most are done on computers with password protection and encryption.

If however, you are dragging paper files out and about you perhaps should invest in a locked filing cabinet, as well as a locked portable file box for your car (which you lock your car, no?)

This has a paranoid flair to it as well. I would watch that.

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I vote homework assignment as well.

If for real, this must be a soon to be ex husband.

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Specializes in kids.

We have been trolled....first post...first thread

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