HIPPA Laws

[robin_mds_nurse]

A resident at the LTC center that I work at was sent to the hospital several days ago. The nurse that usually cares for her was worried about her, and called the hospital to check on her. The nurse she spoke to referred the nurse to the family, because she said it would violate HIPPA to give out the resident's medical info. I called back over, and told them that it is not violating HIPPA because she is still our resident. They have to give us report when they are coming back anyway. We have had this problem a couple of other times. Has anyone had any similiar problems? I think some hospital nurses are going overboard on HIPPPA (JMHO) ~Robin

[Audreyfay]

You can thank Ted Kennedy for the HIPPA ordeal we are now living.

[Audreyfay]

You can thank Ted Kennedy for the HIPPA ordeal we are now living.

[LydiaNN]

I work with thirteen different hospitals in the course of my job, and every single one of them interprets HIPAA differently. Some of the hospitals claim that *parents* can't give out their child's information! Typical bureaucracy!

[LydiaNN]

I work with thirteen different hospitals in the course of my job, and every single one of them interprets HIPAA differently. Some of the hospitals claim that *parents* can't give out their child's information! Typical bureaucracy!

[Dixiedi]

Hospitals can't give home care nurses any info either. Even if you are the nurse who took the pt to the hospital!

Has to be family.

We usually call the family for an update. It gets crazy trying to make sure your pt is covered on the first day home while tring to ensure you have all the hours you need for the pay period.

HIPPA, like all the other pushed through regulations cause as many or more problems than they solved. I will add though that the problems they solve are sometimes far greater than the ones they cause. But... still full of ruts deep enough to loose a VW in.

[robin_mds_nurse]

We are electronically hooked up with our local hospital. Our admissions coordinator can access any of the medical records for our residents via the computer and it's HIPAA compliant and we get the info that we need. It is working quite well.

That would be awesome to be connected to the hospital, and get the medical records electronically. I work in a rural community (1 horse town with 2 hospitals), and I don't forsee us being that high tech anytime soon. My sister works in the medical records department where I work. She is having a horrible time getting discharge summaries from one of the hospitals. Thanks so much for your input! :)

[Audreyfay]

I finally decided to look up the Act to see the real spelling and abbreviation. I don't think I ever have spelled it right!

It's HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act :chuckle

[Dixiedi]

Oh yea, at the back of every pt chart.... ours don't even have HIPPA on them, it's spelled out. Clear and easy.

[donmomofnine]

I always have the abbreviation screwed up because I was first taught that it was the health information portability and PRIVACY act! GEEZ! That was just the beginning of all the confusion, it would seem!

[mscsrjhm]

The hospitals are actually going through trash to monitor for Hipa violatins. We call it the "Jerry Springer" law.

[Dixiedi]

I always have the abbreviation screwed up because I was first taught that it was the health information portability and PRIVACY act! GEEZ! That was just the beginning of all the confusion, it would seem!

hehehe I'm no better, put HIPPA in my last post! LOL Typo here though. I say it out completely when I write it because that's how i see it. We don't call it that when speaking, but that's how we see it.

I guess that really is kind of confusing isn't it?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

We look at it this way: if it's another healthcare provider and they need the information to properly take care of one of our patients, we give them the info. If however, it's Aunt Tillie from New Mexico who really isn't an aunt but has known Johnny since he was 3, we don't give them any info and ask them to call the family. (Yes, someone named Aunt Tillie from New Mexico DID call me last week at work....)