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Discussion

Hipaa violation to ask this question?

Saw a friend recently at a social function. This friend had had a procedure performed at a facility that is within the larger healthcare group at which I work. As they were describing their procedure, I asked who the doctor was who performed it, and they told me. Is this ok for me to do as long as it was just me and the friend speaking? I guess I wonder because while I don't work for THAT particular satellite office, I do work for a sister facility, and I don't know about that connection as it relates to speaking to this friend and HIPAA. Thank you. PS: I'm not a nurse, but have patient contact at our facility and so am always trying to steer clear of HIPAA problems.

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    • Expert

    You were asking for information from someone you know personally, not disclosing information to any third party. If the person didn't want to disclose the info, s/he could have just declined to answer and/or changed the subject. Now, if you talked to someone else about what you know about your friend's health problems, that would be a HIPAA violation

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    • Author

    thanks for that clarification!

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    • Admin
    Now, if you talked to someone else about what you know about your friend's health problems, that would be a HIPAA violation

    Only if the information were learned via work. If OP were to discuss what she learned directly from her friend with another person, that's gossip, not a HIPAA violation.

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    • Expert
    Only if the information were learned via work. If OP were to discuss what she learned directly from her friend with another person, that's gossip, not a HIPAA violation.

    I hear what you're saying, but that's not a distinction I would want to have to argue (to defend myself) if the individual ended up at some point making a complaint about me to my employer or the government because I had passed on protected health information to a third party ...

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    I hear what you're saying, but that's not a distinction I would want to have to argue (to defend myself) if the individual ended up at some point making a complaint about me to my employer or the government because I had passed on protected health information to a third party ...

    It is not protected unless you acquired that info via your professional actions at work. IE you searched her name or recognized her name on billing form, saw her in the office and talked, etc. If you later look her up at work based on the discussion you had with her outside of work, that is also HIPPA violation. Do not log into her file at a later date unless it is directly related to your providing care for her in whatever professional capacity either...

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