I have a confession to make

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Jan 13, 2009

That's not exactly true of all facilities. Some facilities DO allow you access your own records and those of a minor child, that's all. What the best thing to do is find out what's policy at your facility and stick to it.

Our facility allows us to access our own record.

BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Jan 13, 2009

Our facility does allow us to look at our own records,.but not a spouse or even a minor child and yes you can be fired for it. One reason that was given to me, is some regulations on lab results, CT results,etc, that these must be reported to the provider, MD who can interperet and diagnos accordingly. I can't imagine it ever being a life or death emergency, as a nurse to see your own chart.

diane227, LPN, RN · Jan 13, 2009

The records belong to the facility but you also have a right to review your medical record. I recently pulled my own medical record because when I was a patient in my own hospital for r/o MI, some errors by omission were made. I reviewed my record with my manager for her to follow up on the errors that were made.

czyja, MSN, RN · Jan 13, 2009

The records belong to the facility but you also have a right to review your medical record.

Right. But the right to view your own record under HIPPA does not include the right to look up your record on the computer whenever you get the hankerin to know what your last LDL was. Rather it is the same right to get a copy of your medical records after filling out a form and waiting for a couple days that everybody enjoys.

Callinurse · Jan 13, 2009

Part of the HIPAA ensures that each facility will keep of log of who has had access to your medical record or any medical record.

How can they do that if they don't know you accessed it.

A lab result it self or an xray result it self is not the total answer. It takes a doctor to state the final diagnosis.

Sometimes it takes more than one test to give the entire picture.

The law is the law ..... I am sure that by now you have signed and will sign each year that you will adhere to the HIPAA laws. If not I hope you will soon. Its a requirement for the hospital to do so.

It seems stupid but its the system we work in.

When you sign in to the computer with your password they can track what you looked at.

It would hate for you to loose your job because you did something so silly.

This will be a popular thread. If you are a Kaiser patient you can get an email as soon as your test are complete. I love this because I don't have to wait for a call or follow up. Just thought I would mention this in case you worked at Kaiser.

Calli

Anxious Patient · Jan 13, 2009

As a hospital patient I was curious about my medical records and made the offical request to see them. There was a clerk from medical records in the room with me the whole time. I'm sure I was supervised so as not to alter or remove any pages from the file. I was suprised that personal impressions by doctors were noted. One of my doctors wrote that I asked "tangential" (I had to look it up - means 'irrelevant') questions and that I was "anxious", thus my moniker.

Now that I know my personality is part of my medical history, I'm on

my p's and q's whenever I go for my appointments. The result being they never see the real me anymore.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Jan 13, 2009

My doc didn't even know about this rule till I told him no, I hadn't seen my test results because I could lose my job if I did. He said, "That's crazy," and logged onto the nearest computer and showed me the results.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jan 13, 2009

I definitely know that it is against HIPPA to look up your own medical information, but in my hospital, I admit we do it often and nothing happens to us. I suppose that there is so much scandal with city hospitals that this is considered light stuff that no one can really keep up with...but yeah, I know it is really wrong. On the other hand, I have had some things done in order to take to my own doctor...I get a ppd each year, basic labs drawn and a few xrays. I take the results to my doctor (who knows I am a nurse) for his records to expedite my own visit. So, yeah, I guess plenty of us nurses are going to go to jail...

Callinurse · Jan 13, 2009

As a hospital patient I was curious about my medical records and made the offical request to see them. There was a clerk from medical records in the room with me the whole time. I'm sure I was supervised so as not to alter or remove any pages from the file. I was suprised that personal impressions by doctors were noted. One of my doctors wrote that I asked "tangential" (I had to look it up - means 'irrelevant') questions and that I was "anxious", thus my moniker.
Now that I know my personality is part of my medical history, I'm on
my p's and q's whenever I go for my appointments. The result being they never see the real me anymore.

If you accessed your file in medical records it was probly according to HIPAA regulations.

What you refer to as "presonal impressions" are actually part of your physicians assessment of your presentation. Just because you were anxious at one contact doesn't mean your doc is going to expect you to be anxious everytime he sees you. If you are truely an anxious person all the time then you already know this and know how this can affect your health. He/She has a responsibility to note this in the physician's assessment. It doesn't mean its a negative attribute.

I hope that you are your 100% self when you go to the doctors. If you are not comfortable with him/her maybe you should get a doc that you at relaxed with. Just a suggestion.

Calli

highlandlass1592, BSN, RN · Jan 13, 2009

I definitely know that it is against HIPPA to look up your own medical information, but in my hospital, I admit we do it often and nothing happens to us. I suppose that there is so much scandal with city hospitals that this is considered light stuff that no one can really keep up with...but yeah, I know it is really wrong. On the other hand, I have had some things done in order to take to my own doctor...I get a ppd each year, basic labs drawn and a few xrays. I take the results to my doctor (who knows I am a nurse) for his records to expedite my own visit. So, yeah, I guess plenty of us nurses are going to go to jail...

It's a common misconception that it's against HIPPA to look up your own lab results..no where does it say you can't do that. The information is protected and your facility sets the guidelines for accessing PPI. At my facility, it is allowable to access your own records.

rabbitgirrl · Jan 13, 2009

I would bet that the facility does not want this to be part of the discovery process for any kind of future law suit against them.

Anxious Patient · Jan 13, 2009

If you accessed your file in medical records it was probly according to HIPAA regulations.

Yes, I had to sign some forms, then waited about 2 weeks for permission.

What you refer to as "presonal impressions" are actually part of your physicians assessment of your presentation. Just because you were anxious at one contact doesn't mean your doc is going to expect you to be anxious everytime he sees you. If you are truely an anxious person all the time then you already know this and know how this can affect your health. He/She has a responsibility to note this in the physician's assessment. It doesn't mean its a negative attribute.
I hope that you are your 100% self when you go to the doctors. If you are not comfortable with him/her maybe you should get a doc that you at relaxed with. Just a suggestion.

Those notes were from my initial meeting with him. He's my oncologist for the past 5 years and I feel I'm in good hands. I really don't keep anything from him, but now that I'm an old hand with my condition, I don't blather on like I used to. I'm actually glad that he's concerned with my "fragile":p state of mind. And I absolutely adore his nurse who always calls the patients immediately with any test results, sensitive that we're on pins and needles. I feel she knows as much as he does.

Thanks for your response.