Private medical information shared with your boss!!!

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:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire I want to see if any of you think this is wrong. In New Hampshire anyone with chronic pain is required to enter into a pain contract with their PCP. I think it is a great idea and will prevent a lot of abuses on both sides. That said I am an administrative nurse. I suffer with fibromyalgia and severe osteoarthritis. I have a wonderful physician and we have found a way to relieve the pain without impairment. I only use narcotics when I am not working and usually only when I am PMS. The clinic where my doc works decided that the pain contracts should go the emergency room. I work in this hospital and I do not want my personal info in a file draw in the ED. I called the clinic and expressed my concern. I did not mind if the information was put in my chart that would be pulled out IF I ever decided to go to the ED...not likely. To make it worse they stated they did not know what they were going to do with them so they sent them to the COO who is my direct supervisor. There has definitely been a difference in the way she is treating me and I don't know what to do. I feel violated. Am I over reacting? What do you all think? Please answer. :crying2: :angryfire :crying2:

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Hello,

Sounds like a frustrating position to be in. However, if in the past you can find that your COO has been respectful to patients and staff...most likely will be the same with you. You are also so awesomely covered by HIPPA. If your COO makes you feel odd, ignore it. Think of the business we are in...taking care of people respectfully while maintaining dignity. If you are approached by someone that verbalizes something from your hospital file, talk with your "Ethics and Compliance Officer" regarding HIPPA violations...I'm sure your COO would change their demeanor and tune when faced with paying a personal fine $. I take care of staff at our facility occasionally and have seen many personal issues and I know that I am professional and just take it in stride. Good luck, you sound like you are acting like the bigger person in this deal. :)

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I have been hoping someone would answer. :o

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Hello,

Sounds like a frustrating position to be in. However, if in the past you can find that your COO has been respectful to patients and staff...most likely will be the same with you. You are also so awesomely covered by HIPPA. If your COO makes you feel odd, ignore it. Think of the business we are in...taking care of people respectfully while maintaining dignity. If you are approached by someone that verbalizes something from your hospital file, talk with your "Ethics and Compliance Officer" regarding HIPPA violations...I'm sure your COO would change their demeanor and tune when faced with paying a personal fine $. I take care of staff at our facility occasionally and have seen many personal issues and I know that I am professional and just take it in stride. Good luck, you sound like you are acting like the bigger person in this deal. :)

Thank you for your input. I will choose to ignore it for now. I did speak with my HIPPA officer who happens to be medical records director. She was appalled and called the clinic immediately. She felt the info should only be posted in our charts as well. My COO has always treated me well, but I can't say the same for all. Life is always sending curve balls my way when I am expecting fast balls!!

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I think you'll be fine. Sometimes when I worry about what if(s), my focus is solely on that and it becomes inevitable. Make other issues your priority when around your COO, give him/her a chance to if he/she feels it necessary to publicly act like a louse so everyone will know how they could potentially be treat, but don't you be the one to ilicit the behavior. Sometimes public humility is the best way for people to stop and think about their reactions. Try not to be weary and be ready to field any curves, fast balls, grounders...whatever they are. Remember, what we can't change tends to make us stronger. :balloons:

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Specializes in private duty/home health, med/surg.

This sounds to me like a HIPAA violation. Your records should stay with your chart, and that's that. This goes for everyone at the pain clinic who has a contract. Good luck with your situation.

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Thank you for your answer. I thought it was a HIPPA violation as well. But in the patient privacy agreement, which I was directed to read, it said they can share information for treatment purposes with any hospital in our alliance. sigh. As I said, I have no issue with it in my chart just not in my bosses files!!

Thanks again. :)

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I am a case manager in the ER and part of my job is to deal with the habitual patients who come to the ER. In my world, that equates to 10 visits in 6 months. I have no knowledge of patients that are on a pain contract unless they visit the ER frequently. I have no reason to know. Also - our records are all computerized. It is plainly posted in multiple places that accessing medical records when you have no need to is a HIPAA violation. I can't believe this happened to you and am so very sorry.

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I am a case manager in the ER and part of my job is to deal with the habitual patients who come to the ER. In my world, that equates to 10 visits in 6 months. I have no knowledge of patients that are on a pain contract unless they visit the ER frequently. I have no reason to know. Also - our records are all computerized. It is plainly posted in multiple places that accessing medical records when you have no need to is a HIPAA violation. I can't believe this happened to you and am so very sorry.

The support I have received from this group of nurses has been phenomonal. I know "frequent flyers" who try to get more and more pain medication are difficult to deal with. I understand the need for us to all be on the same page when helping these folks. I just don't want my personal information in the hands of someone who could definitely at least ruin my day and even mess up my life for a bit!! Thanks again. :nurse:

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.
I am a case manager in the ER and part of my job is to deal with the habitual patients who come to the ER. In my world, that equates to 10 visits in 6 months. I have no knowledge of patients that are on a pain contract unless they visit the ER frequently. I have no reason to know. Also - our records are all computerized. It is plainly posted in multiple places that accessing medical records when you have no need to is a HIPAA violation. I can't believe this happened to you and am so very sorry.

A little off topic, but even the repeaters may have something else going on. We had a lady coming in for migraines quite regularly, I noticed it was exactly the same time every month! When I pointed this out to the doc, she agreed and referred her to an endocrinologist, thinking maybe it is hormonally cycled.

I'd been unhappy about my records getting passed out like that too ...

Hope things work out for you.

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I want to see if any of you think this is wrong. In New Hampshire anyone with chronic pain is required to enter into a pain contract with their PCP. I think it is a great idea and will prevent a lot of abuses on both sides. That said I am an administrative nurse. I suffer with fibromyalgia and severe osteoarthritis. I have a wonderful physician and we have found a way to relieve the pain without impairment. I only use narcotics when I am not working and usually only when I am PMS. The clinic where my doc works decided that the pain contracts should go the emergency room. I work in this hospital and I do not want my personal info in a file draw in the ED. I called the clinic and expressed my concern. I did not mind if the information was put in my chart that would be pulled out IF I ever decided to go to the ED...not likely. To make it worse they stated they did not know what they were going to do with them so they sent them to the COO who is my direct supervisor. There has definitely been a difference in the way she is treating me and I don't know what to do. I feel violated. Am I over reacting? What do you all think? Please answer. :crying2: :angryfire :crying2:

This is a BLATANT HIPAA violation!!! Don't be so quick to dismiss it! I would file a complaint because what happens if you ever have to look for another job and the boss (or underlings) happen to let 'slip' that you have a chronic condition? What happens when this same information begins 'showing up' on third-party background/employment checks? Would it make you angry then? This type of thing happens every day to many unsuspecting people because they never reported it.

Don't take this sitting down for pete's sakes! DOCUMENT and REPORT! This is exactly what we would suggest for a patient, why is it different for a nurse?? It is no different than a nosy boss wanting information regarding an on-the-job injury. The information STAYS IN THE CHART, they are not privy. Only the occupational nurse has access to such information. Never never never let personal medical info get out of your chart!

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The support I have received from this group of nurses has been phenomonal. I know "frequent flyers" who try to get more and more pain medication are difficult to deal with. I understand the need for us to all be on the same page when helping these folks. I just don't want my personal information in the hands of someone who could definitely at least ruin my day and even mess up my life for a bit!! Thanks again. :nurse:

Interesting..... a good plan, in my opinion, at least to halt ed and md shopping to get more pain meds for addicts, but obviously not fool proof. Deffinitely a HIPAA violation. Dont take this .:angryfire

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