doctor's office accessing of scripts

Nurses HIPAA

Published

right about now I am ripshoot (george carlinism)....went for a work physical at a doctor's office that I have no prior relationship with and will have no further relationship with, and the MA looks at the screen and says "so, you take x and y meds....." I ask her how she knows this, since I didn't give permission nor a list, and she says if you use insurance to pay for it, we can see it......WITHOUT MY FREAKING CONSENT....! I got copies of the consents i signed, on the way out of the office, don't see it anywhere!!!!!....This seems like a hipaa violation to me, they had no need, hence no right. I am feeling ...angry, hurt, humiliated, stupid.......this on top of no steady job at the moment......really great freaking day I have had.....So, so much for privacy....

You (the collective you) think this information sharing is invasive now?

What do you think is going to happen if/when the US healthcare system becomes 'single payor' or 'government run' like it is in countries with socialized medicine?

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Do people not realize that every State has a database for logging prescriptions for scheduled/controlled drug, and that many states log every prescription you fill?

Abuse of the Federal Prescription Database Law - TalkLeft: The Politics Of Crime

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program - FAQ

Also, at least one commonly used escript provider draws prescription history from a multitude of sources.

Surescripts - The Nation's E-Prescription Network - Physicians/Prescribers

My brand new doctor, paid for using brand new insurance, 3000 miles from my old doctor, had access to every med I've been prescribed in the last 3 years, who prescribed it and what pharmacy I filled it at.

:yeah::yeah::yeah:.....Scary isn't it?

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
It is not the concept of med reconciliation that I would resent. It is the fact that the information did not come from me.

Exactly. And that it is so easily accessible.

Right. It's not about coordination of care between providers, either. Who would dispute that is ultimately a time-saver and perhaps even a way to avoid an unanticipated negative event due to miscommunication between various specialists in cases where people have multiple numbers of them. So go ahead and give consent for that. It doesn't mean the choice should be taken away from everyone else, though.

The issue is who directs the release of such information. I'm a pessimist (or a realist?) - I just assume anything in cyberspace can be discovered by someone else, either through intent or human error.

I don't blame morte one bit for being upset about that.

yes, that is the service that they use. Now, why do they (doc's office) have access to my prior hx, without my signed consent in a nonemergent situation? It once was nec to sign consent for this. So, if i want a second, untainted by prior knowledge, second onpinion, I can't get it? beside the point that this office visit entailed NO CARE, no possibility of conflicting prescriptions! No controls of any kind, and totally unrelated to job performance, so, yes, it IS totally the principle of the thing that has me so irritated!

Do people not realize that every State has a database for logging prescriptions for scheduled/controlled drug, and that many states log every prescription you fill?

Abuse of the Federal Prescription Database Law - TalkLeft: The Politics Of Crime

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program - FAQ

Also, at least one commonly used escript provider draws prescription history from a multitude of sources.

Surescripts - The Nation's E-Prescription Network - Physicians/Prescribers

My brand new doctor, paid for using brand new insurance, 3000 miles from my old doctor, had access to every med I've been prescribed in the last 3 years, who prescribed it and what pharmacy I filled it at.

Finally! someone how "gets it"!

Right. It's not about coordination of care between providers, either. Who would dispute that is ultimately a time-saver and perhaps even a way to avoid an unanticipated negative event due to miscommunication between various specialists in cases where people have multiple numbers of them. So go ahead and give consent for that. It doesn't mean the choice should be taken away from everyone else, though.

BINGO!

The issue is who directs the release of such information. I'm a pessimist (or a realist?) - I just assume anything in cyberspace can be discovered by someone else, either through intent or human error.

YES! AND YES!

I don't blame morte one bit for being upset about that.

two points i haven't seen mentioned here:

1) isn't it possible that when the person taking your history (in this case, the ma) looks at your record and asks, "you're taking x & y meds, is that right?" that's an opportunity for the patient to say, "no, that's not accurate, are you sure you're looking at my chart?" the last time i went to have a routine exam and lab draws, i got asked my name and birth date several times; this sort of recheck is common to prevent errors. i hear you that you, yourself, are ripped that your information is out there. but in the real world, it isn't all about you; policies that ask for verification with the live person are increasing, and they are not wrong.

2) all of you who are indignant about the ease with which prescription information is available, imagine yourselves at work, in the ed. you have an unconscious, seizing person before you. you have his wallet so you have his name, age, and address. you wish you had some idea of what his medical status and medications are. do you: a) say, "thank goodness there's no possible way for us to find this out because it would be such an invasion of privacy, so we'll wing it from here. we'll have so much more fun this way anyhow!" or b) say, "unit secretary/whomever, get into the database and find out about this guy, stat!"

you are bringing irrelevant issues into the discussion. i did not present to an ed unconscious and seizing. that scenario is totally unrelated to my situation. unconscious patient=implied consent. i was not unconscious! no more extraneous scenarios need be added.

two points i haven't seen mentioned here:

1) isn't it possible that when the person taking your history (in this case, the ma) looks at your record and asks, "you're taking x & y meds, is that right?" that's an opportunity for the patient to say, "no, that's not accurate, are you sure you're looking at my chart?" the last time i went to have a routine exam and lab draws, i got asked my name and birth date several times; this sort of recheck is common to prevent errors. i hear you that you, yourself, are ripped that your information is out there. but in the real world, it isn't all about you; policies that ask for verification with the live person are increasing, and they are not wrong.

2) all of you who are indignant about the ease with which prescription information is available, imagine yourselves at work, in the ed. you have an unconscious, seizing person before you. you have his wallet so you have his name, age, and address. you wish you had some idea of what his medical status and medications are. do you: a) say, "thank goodness there's no possible way for us to find this out because it would be such an invasion of privacy, so we'll wing it from here. we'll have so much more fun this way anyhow!" or b) say, "unit secretary/whomever, get into the database and find out about this guy, stat!"

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

that is what Obamacare is about - sharing of information between healthcare providers. Creepy, huh?

that is what Obamacare is about - sharing of information between healthcare providers. Creepy, huh?
good ol' GWB is responsible for this one.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Morte.....I don't blame you for being upset for whatever your meds were it's the principle but as electronic medical records go forward and there is closer government scrutiny due to a single payer system AND regulations are developed the more your privacy is NON EXISTANT. Technology is faster than the laws and our privacy is only a figment of our imagination.

Did you sign a consent to be see by the MD? Then you signed for them to view your medical records. Some states right now have databases for meds that are filled submitted by the pharmacies and can be accessed by anyone who subscribes to the database (which is increasingly common) HIPAA is a whipping post to scare nurses in submission.

HIPAA gives you the right to have a read out of who has accessed your medical record and have every entry into your record explained....and audit. Have your record audited. Ask them why.

Specializes in OB/GYN/Neonatal/Office/Geriatric.

HIPAA was also designed for medical records to be accessible to those who need them in giving you care. It's not just about keeping things hidden. I would love my meds to be accessible to my doctors so I would not have to remember to bring them with me all the time. They should always take time to reconcile the list at every visit, though. I just don't understand why you are so upset. I would ask how they got the info to satisfy your curiosity, however.

reread the original....there was not and never will be any care provided by this practice. there was no need to see what meds I may have been taking, no med rec to be done.

HIPAA was also designed for medical records to be accessible to those who need them in giving you care. It's not just about keeping things hidden. I would love my meds to be accessible to my doctors so I would not have to remember to bring them with me all the time. They should always take time to reconcile the list at every visit, though. I just don't understand why you are so upset. I would ask how they got the info to satisfy your curiosity, however.
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