Is It Wrong to Look at Your Own Medical Info?

[jamonit]

Hi everyone.

Quick question...I work at the hospital where I recently had an MRI. Is it technically against most healthcare institutions' policy to pull up your own

chart on your work computer and read lab or MRI reports? I'm assuming

that it is, but it seems like it should be fair, being that it's your own info.

What do you all think?

Thanks:specs:

[abbaking]

I have wondered about this issue myself. Its a HIPAA violation, but at the same time its not. If Its your own personal medical information how does that constitue a HIPAA violation? From the prespective of hospital policies, yes, there should be a formal system to LEGALLY view ones medical records. But I just never have understood how looking up ones own medical information could violate HIPAA?

:icon_roll

[Turd.Ferguson]

Former HIPAA compliance officer here: The information about you belongs to the healthcare provider. You have access to it under HIPAA (except for certain psychiatric notes), but you must follow the procedures of the owner in order to access it.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

In my hospital we can't look up our own files but we can walk over to medical records, sign a release of information, they look them up and hand them to us. So it's a pain, but you get the information in the end. This is only in theory- I've never tried them out.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

while it may not be morally wrong, it's probably against your institution's policies. i've seen people get fired for this.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I have also heard that it is a violation. I can understand your dilemma, because I would still do it. Be careful, though.

[KrissyPRN]

It is against hospital policy where I work so I would check and see what your hospital's policy is on this.

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

I wonder if it's different for tests done at employee health - that's where they did all our MRSA swabs, and it was a work-related issue 2/2 a breakout on the unit. Like I said, they'd be firing our entire staff if they made an issue out of it, so I guess I'll just chalk this up to a lesson learned for next time.

[MzMouse]

I have heard of people being terminated for looking up their own or family member's medical information. We are constantly being told that "big brother" is watching and if you are not authorized to look at information you better be staying out of it. Rule of thumb is unless you need access to something to do your job, it is a HIPAA violation to be searching it out.

[crysobrn]

It's a violation where we work too... They tell us that they cross reference medical records and if anyone has accessed the file with the same last name then it will be a red flag and they look into it.

Personally I think it's silly because they are our medical records. I usually just have a doc I'm working with pull them up under their name (she's also my OB) and if I want she'll print stuff off. That way it's not that big of a deal.

We get an annual "physical" that is basically lab work done for free. But they can't let us have the results they have to send them to any doctor of your choice and we have to contact the doctor to see what the results are. The only time that I can say that I did look was when I was miscarrying (just suspected at the time) and had serial hcg's done. The office was already closed and I called my OB at home and she said "just look at what it is and I'll back you up" so I'm not sure if it would have gotten my fired or not but at the time I didn't care. Just wanted to know if my baby was okay.

I also wanted to mention that I've never actually heard of anyone being terminated for such a thing... looking at someone elses record...yes, but not their own.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

We've had several employee terminations over HIPAA violations in the last several years. All but one were due to employees looking up their own info.

Don't do it. Get on the phone w/your MD who ordered the MRI and hound him for the results, if you wish, but don't access your own records.

[Abigail25]

My hospital has a zero tolerance policy regarding medical records, even if it is yours. They terminate immediately, no questions asked.

[allthingsbright]

Our key strokes are tracked and my hospital can look up exactly every single thing we look at/chart etc on our computers. We get one warning, then we get the boot.