Calling out the pts name in the waiting room...HIPAA?

Specialties Emergency

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I have a question for you guys. In our ED, when a pt comes in to be seen, they'll fill out a slip and have a seat in our waiting room. The registration person will put them into our system and their name will come up as a new pt. At that time, the triage nurse will see this new pt and call their name into the waiting room for triage. Is this a HIPPA violation? Does anyone do anything different? Thanks in advance for your input!

:nurse:Teresa

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Simply calling out a name is not a HIPAA violation as long as it is only a name without other info attached. Just like a patient sign in sheet with name/date/time is permitted. If a sign in sheet had reason for visit ( other than new pt vs. Follow-up) it would not be able to be left out.

Discussed here in question 2:http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2013/07/3-biggest-hipaa-myths-debunked.html

Simply calling out a name is permitted. Such as "Jane Doe to triage". But "Jane Doe of Oakland, CA report to std screening room 1" would not

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

The odds of someone googling you because your full name was called out in a radiology waiting room was rather low. How are they to call you?

From the HHA HIPPA FAQ (the entity responsible for enforcement). Calling out a name in a waiting room is a permitted incidental disclosure as long as it is only a name:

http://www.hhs.gov/hipaafaq/providers/smaller/199.html

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Hello All:

What about the other pts sitting in the waiting area? Suppose one of them writes down your full name, after the doc's office staff has called it out nice and loud, they go home and google your name? Just think of all the "Private" info available on the Internet for a skilled researcher to gain access to.

Regards,

L4T

Are you being serious?

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Specializes in ER.
Are you being serious?

There used to be a medsurg floor in a nearby hospital that insisted on having the patients names written on a board by the door, to assist the docs making their rounds.

Its a Polish community, so many distinctive, unusual and unpronouncable last names.

It didn't take the local criminal population long to figure they could come in and see this board, (on the pretext of visiting a relative), write down the names and go home to check them in the phone book. Most times there was only one of each name, as they were all so unusual, so the criminals knew who was on hospital and which houses therefore stood empty.

And the other extreme, I also worked recently in another ER in a predominantly muslim area, so the first name thing does not work when everyone is called Mohamed or Abdul : )

I'm sure this is a problem in other areas where there is a prevalent population that uses only traditional names?

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Specializes in ICU, CCU.
Why did it bother you though? Did they also call out what procedure you were having done any why? I think that it's a bit excessive to go to hospital admin for this.

That was not the only issue :sarcastic:

L4T

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Specializes in ER, Addictions, Geriatrics.
That was not the only issue :sarcastic:

L4T

Well, that was the only one you listed so forgive me for asking.

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Back when, I remember sitting in a full radiology dept and doc comes barking in, calls my name.. As he's walking over towards me he let everyone know my ct results, that I needed surgery and that my insurance was not going to pay for it. (Non-contracted insurance) lol

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

We went from calling first and last names to calling only first names and then assigning everyone a random number and calling the number and then back to calling first names, where we still have to sort out which one when there are several patients with the same first name. I suggested we assign everyone a planet or constellation name........"Jupiter to room 6."

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

Picturing the fast food or deli counter line: "Now serving pt number 387! 387!!"

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Specializes in ICU, CCU.

Thank you skylark:yeah:

L4T

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Specializes in ER.

Now that I think about it, a lot of hospital pharmacies use the deli counter system, so why shouldn't we have it in ER too??

We could give out Jewel monopoly cards if they answer at first call, and airmiles to those attending more than twice in a week.

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Now that I think about it, a lot of hospital pharmacies use the deli counter system, so why shouldn't we have it in ER too??

We could give out Jewel monopoly cards if they answer at first call, and airmiles to those attending more than twice in a week.

Lol-frequent flyer miles.

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