Was this self-disclosure to a patient okay?

[IreneTouTheou]

I work in a hospital and worry about an old situation that came to my mind, involving self-disclosure and possibly HIPAA:  several years ago I was talking to a patient who I knew fairly well, who told me about a really tough and life-changing medical experience that someone in their family had that had happened decades ago. The patient named the doctor and facility where it happened (which was one of the facilities that eventually became part of the hospital system where this conversation happened). Someone in my family had a very similar experience, in the same facility and with the same doctor that the patient mentioned, and I shared that with the patient. I'm not sure if I said, "Hey, so-and-so from my family had this happen in the same facility with the same doctor" or "I knew someone that had the same experience with the same doctor in the same facility" but when I shared the experience, the patient was really relieved and encouraged to hear that their family's experience wasn't unique, Later I told my family member that I had shared this (I wasn't sure I had mentioned them, or used the phrase, "I knew someone"), and they didn't care, they were fine with it. I don't know if HIPAA would apply here, since the experience happened not in the facility in which we were speaking, and happened decades before I was employed by the hospital. Anyway, later I felt like my self-disclosure was too personal and I wouldn't (and haven't) shared stuff like this again. But do you all think it was inappropriate or violated HIPAA?  

[londonflo]

Quote

 Anyway, later I felt like my self-disclosure was too personal and I wouldn't (and haven't) shared stuff like this again. But do you all think it was inappropriate or violated HIPAA?  

Self disclosure is NOT confidential since YOU and I disclosed it.   I had  a clinical depression decades ago, a patient in my care repeated the same symptoms.  I talked to her in confidence. Asked for permission to talk to an MD, she granted it. I wrote a time, date and note stating this and called the MD psychiatrist.  (The family hunted me down  later that day and thanked me as she was now accepting psychiatry care. )  And I heard again, several weeks later the patient was experiencing a good outcome. 

[nightwingcreations, CNA, LPN]

HIPAA doesn't apply here. You were not discussing information about a patient in a facility you were working in. 

[Nonnie Breytspraak, MSN]

I don't think you violated HIPAA. You can share personal experiences with patients to help give them perspective, a feeling that they are not alone, etc. Just be careful about sharing the names or identities of others who may have a shared experience as that would be a violation of HIPAA.