Facilities go crazy complying with HIPPA but yet

[onehusbandsevenkids]

when I was just in the ED for 10 hours with my friend the other night, I could have taken notes on several people: full names, address, phone number, DOB, SS#, mothers maiden names, medical conditions & histories, ect, ect.....Wow, someone could easily steal someones identity!

So does HIPPA stuff not really apply to the ED due to the nature of the work/atmosphere?

[suzanne4, RN]

It definitely exists in the ER, perhaps that facility was at fault. They should have private cubicles for obtaining that information. HIPAA exists in all areas of the hospital as well as many other types of places nowadays.

The place that you were at just wasn't doing what they should be doing. :)

[onehusbandsevenkids]

Thanks for the response.

So, I'm wondering what about when sharing a semi-private ED (or any I guess) room? How can the medical team speak with/exam one patient w/out the other patient knowing everything? Guess that's about next to impossible.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Semi-private rooms are a huge pet peeve of mine. According to our facility, they're ok under the letter of the law, as anything heard through the curtain is "incidental information" but in my mind it sure doesn't fall under the spirit of the law. I hate doing an admission in a semi-private and having to get a history. Even when I script, "I'm closing the curtain for your privacy!" I still feel uncomfortable asking questions with a person on the other side of the curtain, especially with this being a small town and EVERYBODY knowing EVERYBODY.