HIPAA--Mixed up discharge papers

[JeanettePNP]

My husband was recently discharged from the hospital following a surgical procedure. I was looking over his discharge papers (after he got home) and realized that he had accidentally been given someone else's discharge papers.

His own papers were there, but the other guy's were somehow mixed in with them. Now I wonder whose papers the other guy has and what other mixups may have happened in this hospital.

Would you suggest letting the hospital know about the mixup? Or just quietly shredding those papers and forgetting about them?

[ktwlpn, LPN]

My thoughts are MISTAKES HAPPEN . Report it so the hospital or clinic is aware of the problem and can try to fix it and move on.

You are learning a few lessons here...

Always read your d/c instructions thoroughly before you leave (in case you need clarification on something- or,I dunno-get the wrong forms?

AND HOW TO MOVE ON.

[toomuchbaloney]

I think that some of what we read in this thread is fear...many people are aware that a hospital just might fire a nurse for making a simple error of this sort if they(hospital) believe they know who made the error. THAT is the fix that they will pursue, period. No change of process, no examination of the discharge process, just fire the nurse who made the mistake and congratulate self on resolving problem.

[ComeTogether, LPN]

I'd just call the unit and let the charge nurse know, but I wouldn't call administration. They could have a new secretary or who knows, and need to be aware of the mistake.