HIPAA Challenges Latest Topics

HIPAA question

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 21:20:45 +0000

I have a co-worker that broke hippa and looked up a patient information from 2023. The co-worker looked up said pt information to write down his information to report another nurse to the BON. The nurse made an error in 2023 that the facility dealt with. The co-worker disliked the nurse and reported her to the BON. The work facility is looking into her hippa violation. Thoughts

Would anything happen to the worker that broke hippa

Please calm my HIPAA fears

Wed, 28 May 2025 00:08:58 +0000

I know this will sound silly to most and likely, it is, but I've battled with fears about violating HIPAA for years. This is my latest fear, and I'd appreciate any reassurance you nurses might offer (I am not a nurse, but work in a healthcare facility): recently someone outside of work (and with no connection to work) gave me a referral of someone who does a certain kind of service work. When they said the first and last name of the person, I replied out loud, "hmmm, that sounds familiar." Almost immediately, I thought to myself, "Oh no, do I know this person's name because they were a patient?" I don't know. I can't remember meeting a patient by that name, but still, I wonder. The person I was speaking to didn't know that I work in a healthcare facility, nor did I say anything to link my possible familiarity with the name to the healthcare facility, and logically, I might have heard the name in one of many places. But I'm sort of kicking myself for not self-editing and staying mum!

Co-worker printed my personal/medical information

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 22:50:22 +0000

Recently I had to check in as a patient while on shift related to an injury that occurred at work. Copies of my visit report were intercepted by another nurse from the printer and given to me. The report includes my name, address, DOB, phone number, SSN, next of kin, insurance information, as well as all of my medical information past and present. It is documented on top of the paperwork who printed the copies and at what time. This particular employee did not have permission to access my chart and should not have done so in her role. How serious is this? I am very upset and the employer is aware.

Old diagnosis in medical records

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 15:30:14 +0000

I asked my PCP doctor to remove a very old,and I think, false diagnosis of a psychological issue from my online record and she agreed. I asked her again and she said yes. Two years later I discovered that she did not. She lied it appears. In fact she updated it under" resolved. ". Not acceptable to me, and I am thinking of changing docs, except I am otherwise satisfied with her and the convenient clinic.

I also think that the medical assistants have access to records.

Your opinion?

HIPAA in NYS Prison

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 11:38:12 +0000

I work in NYSDOCCS and am always stressing over privacy issues. I've read a million things about HIPAA but the Internet gives mixed messages. I've also been told it's different in prison because we are made to have a guard present while conducting medical treatment...but I know I've make numerous errors concerning privacy by talking to inmates too deeply in the presence of other inmates and officers... I made my supervisor aware but I always worry that I should self report further and I hate that stressful feeling...has anyone had experience in this. I'd appreciate feedback because this situation gives me so much anxiety I can barely function

HIPAA

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 20:43:05 +0000

I recently had a situation dealing with an inmate who stated unwitnessed injury from a fall. I began questioning him regarding the situation while he was in the ward with another inmate patient in the same area. I then moved him to a more private area to continue the report. The inmate threatened me with HIPAA. I reported my error to my nurse supervisor and the doctor of said inmate (this Dr is also our Facility Healthcare director) . The Dr said it's a mild) minor HIPAA and not to do it again. My nurse supervisor told me no one is perfect and I had learned from it, which I did. I'm always so careful with privacy. Not sure why I did t just move him to a private area initially. Anyway my question is since I reported internally do I have to self report further??

Advice please on this HIPAA concern

Sat, 18 Jan 2025 01:21:54 +0000

I took my elderly relative to the ED at the healthcare facility where I work (and not as a nurse). Days later, our close relative came over and during our visit, my family member told them about their illness and how they went to the ED. I asked if it was okay for me to share where they went (I.e., the place where I work), and family member said sure, no problem. So I said the name of the facility. I also told our other family member that they had some back-and-forth with the right meds, but now things are good. This too was okay with my family member (I asked later, family member was fine with that). I also asked my family member if I could tell my boss that they'd come to our ED and a general gist of their health situation (that too was okay with my relative). We would have had this conversation wherever my family member ended up being treated, but the fact that they were treated where I work (even though I had nothing to do with their care) makes me wonder if any of my comments violated HIPAA?

HIPAA violation?

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:50:20 +0000

Question? I work as a Corrections Nurse. I still maintain HIPPA there as best I can. My question is this: the company I work for is requiring us to write first and last names, DOB, meds and allergies on ALL med envelopes. Any inmate that comes to the med cart can see these with other inmates information. Isn't that a HIPPA Violation?

Is this a HIPAA issue?

Sun, 03 Nov 2024 03:42:34 +0000

While working at the healthcare facility, I saw a family friend who was there for a procedure. Later, this friend/patient spoke to my family member and said, "Hey, I saw (my name) while I was having this (specific) procedure." Later yet (as in a week or so), while I was with my family member and this friend, my friend said, "Oh, and by the way, my (specific procedure) turned out okay." And when they said that, I said, "oh good!" Was my saying that a HIPAA violation, if anyone else (namely my family member who knew, because that friend told them, about the procedure)?

Shredding

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 00:18:00 +0000

So I work in a correctional facility in NYS and our utilization review nurse is in our offices as well. She does death reports and shares our shredding bin. I intermittently shred on my midnight shift and there were piles of death reports in there I did not read all of it but looked at it briefly. I shredded all of it and would never do anything with the info and don't know the depth of what was there. I alerted my supervisor and she is going to speak with the SURN about either shredding her own documents or not using our bin. I feel so guilty for looking at it however slight it was. I know better. Nothing was breached, shared or utilized for anything

Reporting HIPAA violation

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 20:44:54 +0000

Has anyone ever reported a HIPAA violation to HHS or the BON? A co-worker had a patient report of a violation from 2 nurses and the pt's nurse submitted a hospital "ticket" of the problem (one nurse even admitted on the unit she did it). The issue has been swept under the rug and covered up by the hospital. Having better morals and ethics I don't feel it should disappear. Has anyone made a report and if so, how did it go?

Was this a HIPAA issue?

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 01:36:26 +0000

Probably about 10 years ago while working in the healthcare facility I met a patient who, in the course of conversation, told me that their family had owned a famous business that was really treasured by my parents (and people their age). I think in the course of our conversation we talked about my parents, but I can't recall. The patient had written a book about their family's business and said they'd mail me a copy or two of the book. I'm pretty sure that they said I could share it with my parents, though I can't recall exactly. They mailed me the books and I showed one to my parents, and they shared it with a friend who also loved that old business. It just struck me this evening while looking at something else, good grief, I think I probably told my parents that I'd met this person at the hospital, and they may have shared that with the friend they shared the book with. Of course, in my memory, this may have been okay with the patient. I cannot fathom doing something like this now, these years later. Should I do anything about this now?

HIPAA VIOLATION

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 02:32:43 +0000

OMG ... I am a very unseasoned nurse. Here's the story. I received a call from a social worker at the hospital for a patient that was sent there. She gave me the phone number and told me to leave a voicemail if she didn't answer. The patient needed medical clearance to come back to our facility. My MD told me the patient was denied. I was so stressed out because of work that I called back and left a voice message but I said the patients first name and that our MD is denying medical clearance and that we would need a CMP drawn on the patient first and I hung up. I realized what I had done and now I'm freaking out !! I know I violated HIPPA and I don't know what to do . I'm shaking! My mind was literally else where. I know I should never leave patient details in a voicemail and I am unsure of what to expect

Another HIPAA question

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 23:56:13 +0000

Maybe 7-10 years ago, I had occasion to visit, in the course of my work at a hospital, a patient who had been very special to my Mom in their childhood through teen years. I can't remember how the topic came up during my time with the patient, but it did, and the patient, I'm rather sure, said something like, "please tell your mom hello", and I likely asked if it was okay for me to tell my mom that I met the patient there, at the hospital (though now I am freaking out and trying to retrace my steps, or my words, since I can't remember). When the patient died, we (my mom and I) attended the funeral, which was surely posted in the published announcements. I think maybe the family remembered me, having met me at the hospital, and maybe said something like that when my mom was there. I dunno - would all this be alright if the patient said that I could indeed tell my mom that I met the patient at the hospital?

Did I violate HIPAA?

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 23:24:30 +0000

Non-nurse hospital worker, member of the care team here. I was talking to a patient's family member in the course of my day when they said, about another patient, "Hey, so-and-so from our community is/was a patient in this unit, and I wonder what their outcome is. Do you know?" I knew, at least I was pretty sure, of which patient they were talking about. I responded, "Well, people who work in hospitals have confidentiality." The family member talked about the person a little more, and I said something like, "This person is from your community, you say? I'm sorry." (this wasn't verbatim, but was the gist of what I said). I worry now that by saying, "this person is from your community" (which they had told me) may have been an acknowledgement from me that the other patient was indeed a patient - or was it?

HIPAA Violation?

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:38:59 +0000

I'm not a nurse, I'm a care coordinator and I usually talk to pts otp and ask them questions ab their health. I wasn't sure if this was a violation of HIPAA but this pt hasn't been able to get a BP monitor yet and doesn't have the money for one. Would I violate HIPAA if I buy him one?

Help & HIPAA

Thu, 30 May 2024 14:42:50 +0000

Hello, I recently took a nursing job and quit said job in a month. I have never witnessed such unprofessionalism in my entire life. That being said I am not proud about my actions. I should have questioned more and definitely rethought my course of action. On my last day I was alerted to new bruising in two of my patients. The head nurse suggested I take a picture of said bruise with my phone. I took photo with my personal cellphone and sent picture to the head nurses and PA for treatment recommendations. I think I really messed up and am more than a little worried. I will not go over all the unprofessional behavior I witnessed. I am just sorry I stayed. R3N

Does TJC report to the board?

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 15:20:38 +0000

I was just terminated for a HIPPA violation that I didn't know was against my company policy. My job said they have to report it to the Joint Commission but they aren't reporting it to the nursing board in my state. It was minor and an accident but the company has a zero tolerance policy. Will the Joint Commission report it to my nursing board? And are there any other repercussions I can expect? This particular violation was not an issue at other jobs so I didn't realize it was a problem.

HIPAA Violation?

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 16:44:34 +0000

In my medical workplace, a coworker said that they recently saw one of our former coworkers. We love this former coworker, and I said, before I thought about it, "where did you see (the former coworker's name), did you see them here?" I asked this because our former coworker often visits with former coworkers here, eating in the cafeteria and I guess because it seemed a likely scenario. But as soon as I said it , I thought, oh yikes, that sounds like I'm asking if the former coworker was a patient! So, I said, well, they often visit us (not as a patient), which is why I ask. Anyway, my other coworker told me the reason our former friend was visiting, and I'm left reminded of the need to think before I ask/speak. But did I commit a HIPAA violation?

HIPAA violation?

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 05:04:11 +0000

I’m needing advice on this issue. The only reason I am asking is that I’m not sure if this is a HIPAA violation. A co worker of mine has videos and pictures of this patient on her personal cell phone. I know this because she showed me. The patient is not identified, however, she is showing it to people who have nothing to do with the case. I don’t know if this makes me culpable as well. I didn’t say anything to her and kinda quickly went on to another topic when she showed me because I was shocked and a bit taken back by this action.
here is my question, do I report her?

Is looking at a patient's chart on your floor a HIPAA violation?

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 23:43:49 +0000

I'm in my last semester of an ADN program, and I'm too afraid to ask my instructors because it's probably something I should already know. I realize looking at patient charts is a violation if they aren't assigned to you, but what if they're on the unit you work on?

I've noticed my clinical instructors are constantly looking through patient charts, which obviously makes sense because they need to know which patients can be safely placed with students. However, what if you're working on your unit and you have to look up information for a patient that isn't yours? For example, what if the assigned nurse is not available and you need to see if a patient has any precautions not readily apparent? Maybe the patient needs help that cannot be postponed until the nurse comes back, but certain relevant interventions may be contraindicated?

I'm not asking to look at their charts out of curiosity (I wouldn't risk my license over that), but out of safety for me and/or the patient.

Wanting to reach out to coworker who is in the hospital, HIPAA violation?

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 03:12:35 +0000

Someone I work with had an accident at work and was sent to the ER. I really want to reach out to them to ask if they are OK, but I was advised not to, because it would violate HIPAA. But would it actually be a violation if I'm just messaging them on facebook? Im not looking up any information on them or speaking with anyone else over it. We are facebook friends.

Did I manage to dodge a HIPAA violation here?

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:40:29 +0000

As you may see from my profile, I am not a nurse, and for anonymity's sake describe my role as one of the interdisciplinary team. So my family and I were talking about the challenges and rewards of being in the "business" of caring for people, and one of my relatives stated that they know someone whose family member was a patient at our facility, and that the patient's family told my relative that I had been the person (in my department) to offer care to them, and that the family was really appreciative of that care. I tried to stay neutral, and just said something like, "hmmmmm", and thanked them for the kind remark. Did I manage to dodge a HIPAA violation here? I didn't acknowledge that I had indeed met/offered care to this patient or family.

HIPAA violation/ consequnces?

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 11:30:41 +0000

I work in the cath lab for a medium size hospital system, so we share some of the doctors with other facilities in the area. 2 days ago, we were waiting for a doctor X to finish the procedure on patient A in a different hospital, so he could come to our hospital and do the procedure on a patient B. It was past 3 pm, and some co-workers panicked because they thought they were gonna have to stay past working hours and cut into on call time. We called the other hospital for an ETA, and they said they would be able to provide us with the update in 30 min. In those 30 minutes, while we were waiting on an ETA, one of the co-workers logged into the chart of the patient A (patient in another hospital); she went into the procedure log to see how far the doctor has gotten with the procedure. My manager was sitting next to her, watched all this happen, and didn't say a word. 10 minutes after, we got a call from that hospital and they asked us to move our procedure for the next day, because the doctor was running behind.

This whole thing gave me insomnia that night, so the very next morning I called the house sup and told her exactly what happened. House sup submitted the HIPAA incident.

Did I do the right thing? What could happen/ come out of this?

HIPAA Question

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 23:05:11 +0000

I left my pt room after providing care and left open the chart on the computer (in a private room). My patients family ( One who is the POA for this pt and then the other one who has been receiving updates daily by phone) took a photo of the open chart. How worried should I be? Have they violated HIPAA by taking a photo of it? Thanks in advance.