HELLLLOOOOO --- HELP with HIPAA

HIPPA makes me look like (or sound like) the bad guy every day that I go to work.

Patient families don't understand that I cannot, BY LAW, give out information over the phone.

I very politely respond "I'm sorry, but federal laws called HIPAA that deal with patient privacy do not allow me to give out any information over the phone. "

To which the family member will probably say something like...

A "But the nurse yesterday did, why can't you? - how about because

that nurse broke the law and I don't want to :angryfire

B "You just told my sister that my mother is not doing well and we should

come and see her, why won't you tell me what is going on?" Well, I

called your sister so I know who I called, and she is the POA. Why

don't you ask her what is going on, or just COME HERE?

C " I am calling long distance from (insert distant place here), and I can't

come in to see my relative, can't you tell me anything?" Sorry, no.

But you could call your (insert relative here) and get more info.

D "But my step-mother, estranged sister, what have you, won't tell me

anything." I am sorry that your family relationships are strained, but

perhaps you could call the doctor for information, he/she may be more

helpful. Here's the number...

E ANGRY DOCTOR " Why is Mr So-and-so's relative calling me for

information on how the patient is doing?" Because HIPAA won't let me

tell them anything. Followed by explanation of how patient is doing,

when necessary.

HIPPA sounds good on paper, but I think maybe I'll just stop answering the phone.

It is a PITA. I understand all the hoopla about it, but it has gotten so carried away. It seems like we are constantly having parents leave the unit,come back in, leave again. And the nastiness...my mom called and no one would talk to her..well, we told you that. My ex boyfriends, cousins sisterin law's mama called, why can't you tell her I am here? Because I'll get a big ole fine.

Ugh.

HIPPA makes my instructor tell me that I have to get a binder and carry it to clinical because someone might see my patient's info If It falls out of a folder or a clipboard....I agree, I would want the right to privacy say if I had AIDS. What I dont agree with is the following situation. Say I'm walking on the unit and a patient screams and falls in a room near where I am and I have to run in and provide care (because let's face it will I start looking for that patient's nurse who just happened to go to lunch etc etc) but wait...HIPPA made it a top secret that that patient had AIDS and I, even thought I am a health care professional will go into that room not knowing it. I feel that's the bad part about HIPPA.

I currently work for a doctor and we are not doing anything different with patient info than before the law came into effect. We never gave out info over the phone, released info to others without written consent, etc.

The only thing different now is that there is another piece of paper patients have to fill out and the amount of time we spend explaining what the paper means.

Thank you to those who provided HIPAA comments.

Hey everyone else --- please, keep it coming. How has HIPAA affected your workload/working environment?