Did a nurse just violate hipaa?

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Specializes in ER.

Is it a hipaa violation if a nurse provides a xerox copy of an ekg done from the emergency dept. to a patients spouse, noting that all patient identifiers were removed?

Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

HHHmmm,....was the pt with the spouse at the emergency dept?

Specializes in ER.

Well yeah the patient was admitted and the spouse was at the station requesting the ekg from the ed so he could have his cardiologist take a look at it, again all pt identifiers were blacked out on the copy.

I am not sure HIPPA, however the hospitals I have worked at had a policy...all records to be provided after discharge upon request of the patient from medical records. You might want to check the facillity policy and procedure also.

Specializes in ER.

I see, thanks.. Does any else have any input?

I would assume without any pt info that it wouldntb be of any violation.

Why? You can look up hipaa violations as well as the rest of us.

Are you looking for validation from this website for a witch hunt?

Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

I agree with the earlier poster,...most hospitals have a policy against this,.however,...without pt identifiers the cardiologist probably won't even look at it,..a wast of paper to make someone happy,....:)

Specializes in ER.

Thats a little too much research and im sure id benefit from it but i posted a new thread to get some input from other nurses who dont mind sharing their opinions or knowledge of this particular situation.

Specializes in ER.

i like the way you think rncardiac

Why? You can look up hipaa violations as well as the rest of us.

Are you looking for validation from this website for a witch hunt?

But the HIPAA law is so vaguely specific that sometimes we all need a little clarification. Your comment seems a little on the mean-spirited side...is there a reason for that?

Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

It is a violation of HIPAA unless the patient signed the ok to share paperwork.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Why? You can look up hipaa violations as well as the rest of us.

Are you looking for validation from this website for a witch hunt?

But the HIPAA law is so vaguely specific that sometimes we all need a little clarification. Your comment seems a little on the mean-spirited side...is there a reason for that?

I agree with cotjockey; we post here because many issues in nursing are vague, so, we bounce things off of each other to gain further insights.

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