Sick To Death Of Hippa!

1. This is so stupid. Has anyone had the privilage of going to the Dr. lately? I have signed more HIPPA sheets than I can count, it has to stop. I do not want to walk into a Dr. office and have to sign that stupid piece of paper. I went for a test in another builing and guess what. I had to sign another sheet of paper. It is so insane. Who came up with this nonsense and who can you complain to. I go to the Dr. all the time and if your concerned about your medical information getting into the wrong hands then be more concerned with the receptionists sitting out in open ear shot of the pt's. I have heard more private medical info come out of their mouths than at any other time. It just seems like one more pain in an otherwise painful process. Ok, getting down off my soap box.

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2. 

   About RNIAM

   Joined: Jan '02; Posts: 1,732; Likes: 1
   RN

   24 Comments

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3. 
   May 19, '03

   Yes, I have. And not just at the doc's. The pharmacy is doing it too. AND they have to give your old prescription bottle back. They can't throw it away.
   
   I wonder how many trees HIPPA has killed already?
4. 
   May 19, '03

   You can thank Clinton for the mess!
5. 
   May 19, '03

   Seriously, does anyone know what branch of gov to complain to? An address maybe?This just has to stop.I am all for peoples privacy but this is getting way out of hand.
6. 
   May 19, '03

   Start with your congress person.
7. 
   May 19, '03

   I suspect it's probably way too late to protest this. This is the implementation of something that's been in process since 1996, I believe. The law gets passed, and then the real work starts - the rules get written on how the law is to be implemented.
   
   Fortunately, you should only have to sign this once at each health care provider you go to. We have to have every patient sign that they received a brochure detailing our privacy policies, but we only have to do it once.
   
   BTW - if I heard private things that were identifiable regarding specific questions from receptionists because they were discussing issues within earshot of patients, I'd say something to the MD or office manager.
8. 
   May 19, '03

   I work in a nursing home, and today was told that the residents have to have their pictures and names removed from outside their rooms! Many use these to find them! I think the overkill is rediculous.
9. 
   May 19, '03

   I accompanied my boyfriend to the eye doctor a couple of weeks ago and was horrified to see at the desk a "take a number" thingy - due to HIPAA regulations they can't even call you by name in the waiting room. We're all becoming numbers and it's depersonalizing the patients. Can someone please tell me WHY our old confidentiality laws are suddenly not good enough anymore?
10. 
    May 19, '03

    This comes from lawyers running the medical field. Only wish turnabout would be fairplay...we medical people running the legal field.
11. 
    May 19, '03

    I agree with you RN2Bm, I picked up my hubbys perscription and had to BRING HOME a sheet for him. I told the pharmasist that it was totally ridiculous since he has never even set foot in the drug store! And yes, it is true about the waiting room of the clinics too. It makes me crazy! In long term care, if I get a call on a resident, if that persons name isnt the emergency contact I cant give any info, even whether or not the res still lives there, and even if it is a son or daughter who just isnt listed as THE ONE person I can talk too!!
12. 
    May 19, '03

    Hippa is ridiculous.
    
    Patient is 33 weeks pregnant in preterm labor her mother at her side most of the day while we tried (unsuccessfully) to stop her labor. Her mother had to leave to pick up kids from school.
    
    After she left the doctor comes in and we ship the patient 30 miles north to a higher level OB ward.
    
    An hour later the mother calls to talk to patient. All we could tell her was that she was no longer here. We couldn't even say she was transported to another hospital much less tell her how to contact her. It was really sad and I'm sure the mother thinks we are totally uncaring even though I told her I was deeply sorry and that it was a new law we had to follow.
    
    We can't afford to bend the rules at all, there are Hippa spy's in our hospital that try to trick you into giving info and if your caught you can be disciplined. Not to mention if anyone turns you in you can get a $50,000 fine or 10 years in prison. From what I have been told it doesn't even have to be the persons who's info you revel that turns you in. So if some jerk hears you giving out info they can turn you in. Scary
    
    I can't even comprehend why patients would want this level of privacy. I can see why people wouldn't want others to know about pregnancy or STD's but appendectomy? Come on who cares?
    
    We were also told that police holds violate Hippa. Used to be that when the police brought us a suspect from medical treatment we would call them at discharge and they would come and arrest them but know they just walk out the front door and the police have to catch them again.
    
    We have become victims of our own privacy very very sad

    Last edit by Dayray on May 19, '03
13. 
    May 19, '03

    I work on an Alzheimers unit and have had lots of problems with residents no longer being able to find their rooms because of the pictures and names being taken down. To see the frustration in them makes me sick.
14. 
    May 19, '03

    I agree...it is getting way out of hand

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