Hospital Workers Suspended for Peeking at George Clooney's Medical Info

Ms Kylee · Oct 20, 2007

Our computers have tracking systems... we're not even permitted to look at our own charts. This same situation happened at my hospital with a famous person.... all of the people who accessed his chart who didn't have permission were fired.

crissrn27, RN · Oct 20, 2007

At my last hospital, we could look up our charts if we signed a wavier (just like you would if you were getting copies of you chart).........then they did away with the wavier and said you could look without it.

Don't know about at my current hospital.

gradRN2007, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2007

Should of been fired not suspended, that's what my hospital does...everyone is entitled to their privacy and the sad part is how many doc's or RN's go to another hospital to have babies, surgery because they know how curious people are when they are in their own hospital and really don't mean any harm but there are some diagnosis, lab results that the patient doesn't want anyone to know about!

doe9181 · Oct 24, 2007

There is no gray area here. This is a HIPAA violation of the worst kind. It was simply for gossip, not need-to-know.
And, by the way, an employee in my hospital was fired for looking up her husband's labs. Another, for looking up her OWN records.
This is some serious s***, and they take no prisoners.

Aren't you allowed to look at your own records? I look at mine all the time when I have blood drawn or something like that. No one's ever said anything to me. I mean they are your own records after all.

cmo421 · Oct 24, 2007

I find it so funny at how this HIPPA law has gone. So strict in the hospitals,people getting fired or suspended. Doc offices and even lawyers make u sign the form.

Did u know that your social security number is considered public information? Did u know that the hospital,covered under HIPPA,gives any info wanted on ur chart to a huge number of so called "secure" companies. ie blue cross,workmans comp co, local police or investigaters. Then,they r covered by HIPPA, to divulge ur information to their circle of secured companies. This goes on and on until the world could get ur info.

Did u know if u get stopped for a ticket or whatever,that all that is public info? Did u know that everytime u give ur social security number out, hundreds of people ar privy to it,legaly. They might not be able to talk about your personnal info,but they sure can read it and so can't everyone in their circle!

Did u know that if u have a court case of any kind going on, any lawyer can go down to the court house and see it, thus seeing all ur personnal info.

So how can identity thief be illegal when ur social security number is considered public information? Wouldn't they be just borrowing it? LOL I know that's the extreme, but just think of the ramifications.

Keep ur numbers to ur self, u do not have to give them to anyone but when appling for credit or banking.I refuse at doc's offices of any kind now. I refuse at schools and if going for a job,unless offered a position.

Remember HIPPA laws are broad and cover little.Mostly aimed at Nurses,doc's and hospital personnal. Read the fine print when u are signing a HIPPA form at the docs.Ask questions and protect yourself.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 24, 2007

Aren't you allowed to look at your own records? I look at mine all the time when I have blood drawn or something like that. No one's ever said anything to me. I mean they are your own records after all.

They may be your own records, but you're using work passcodes to access it, i.e. abuse of privilege.

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Oct 24, 2007

They may be your own records, but you're using work passcodes to access it, i.e. abuse of privilege.

This is very true. We are not allowed to access our own records for that very reason.

Aidaniel · Oct 25, 2007

Sometimes we were starstrucked by the celebrities seeking medical help in the facilities we are working in that we tend to forget some legalities. :uhoh3: Let us always be reminded by these legalities to protect the client, the institution/facilities and ourselves. :idea: :idea:

EmmaG, RN · Oct 25, 2007

This is very true. We are not allowed to access our own records for that very reason.

During a follow-up appointment after I was discharged, I got into a little argument with my doc who insisted an xray had shown ____. I knew better, because the consulting doc had shown me the report. Anyway, he kept insisting that I was mistaken. So that night, I looked up the results and AHA! I was right! I knew I didn't have ____! Couldn't wait to tell my doc...

Guess who got called in to the manager's office the next week? :lol2:

I was damn lucky. I could have been fired.

scooterRN52 · Oct 26, 2007

LOL....I'd be much more interested in a chat with him than looking at his CT results!

I agree with you, who cares what is in his record. I think hippa gets a little unrealistic, they should realize that medical personel are reading his records and plenty of them including medical records. They put entire chart away ( hard copy )

that is. Our hospital still has hard copies.

twotrees2 · Feb 4, 2008

This is an out and out HIPPA violation. Do I feel badly for these 27 people? Absolutely! However, they knew what they were doing. HIPPA rules are very, very clear. If you aren't directly involved in a patient's care, you are violating that person's privacy. And that Union person is a complete, utter idiot.
I had an MRI done at my facility. . I admitted to my NM that it was absolutely driving me nuts that I could access the films in the computer as well as the reading. She is well aware of some of the health issues/other issues in my life. I also knew that immediate termination was the consequence. We sign, on a regular basis, a letter that is written in plain english -no legalese- a HIPPA letter, ackowledging that we understand the policies and consequences for accessing our own information & that of our family (must go through usual channels). I know that several people have been fired from our facility/system for violation of HIPPA.
Our privacy was violated years ago by a resident surgeon who in the OR with my baby. Of all people, he told the church gossip exactly how bad my baby's defects were and her outcome looking might grim. So, this is a touchy subject. Even pre-HIPPA, there was an expectation of privacy.
Cindy RN

why wuold one not be able to get access to your own records?

rph3664 · Feb 4, 2008

why wuold one not be able to get access to your own records?

It's discouraged because I have heard of people looking up their own HIV test or cancer biopsy result, and knowing the answer before the doctor told them and not being in a situation where they could be given support.

This was even before electronic records.

I had a UA performed where I work a few weeks ago, but I didn't look mine up until my doctor's office called in the prescription. Oh, like I'm really going to care what the chloride content of my urine was! :bugeyes: Another person in my department had a mammogram, and after being told it was normal, one of the pharmacists accessed it with her standing there, and she joked, "Everyone got to see my boobs!" :lol: Other people in my department have looked up things, AFTER THEY GOT THEIR RESULTS, and nobody has gotten in trouble.

I do have a friend who was fired from a med tech job because he processed his girlfriend's blood test (no disease, just a routine draw) and told her it was normal before her doctor did.

My understanding about the George Clooney thing is that the people who got in trouble were talking about his records to people outside the hospital. As we said at work, "Who cares what his serum creatinine was?!" But you're not supposed to discuss things like this outside of work!