Has a HIPPA law been violated by my ex coworker?
Posted By: I am patient on 2007-03-29
In Reply to:
I am a radiology MT and worked at the hospital who did my chest x-ray and lab work after I was given a dx of breast CA on Tuesday. I had been given Xanax which I took and was in a sheer panic because I am afraid .
The woman MT I worked with at the radiology dept and I have kept in touch. I told her as I was being worked up (did not tell her I had CA as she has a big mouth) to let me know if she does my chest x-ray and let me know if it is abnormal. I then went into the surgeons office where he had been a faxed of the chest x-ray with the CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS: Breast cancer. on the top. When I returned home, I had an e-mail from her that was an exact cut and paste of my chest x-ray with the exception that CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS: Breast cancer. had been cut from the copy. She has since stopped all contact with me and now I fear that the entire MT dept and hospital I worked in for two years with know I am suffering from this without my telling them.
I feel hurt and violated because she knew before I wanted her to (she typed the report I saw but mostly because she has stopped corresponding with me after seeing that I had breast CA. When I was being worked up, she said my bad lifestyle was the culprit. She herself has never had a mammogram and refused to see doctors (7th Day Adventist).
Am I wrong for feeling this way? Have rules been broken? Shouldn't she have asked for my wrritten authorization before placing my chest x-ray report in an e-mail. and saying "good job" with reference to teh normal chest I guess (although the words "Breast CA" definitely negated that - it was almost as if she did not want me to know she knew.
I am so confused right now and have no family members or even close friends so I cannot tell if what I am thinking is even accurate. The Xanax and Prozac are not helping along with major anxiety.
Any feedback from astute MTs would be appreciated. Thank you.
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IMO, you violated a patient's confidentiality by even posting about this - that you transcribed t
I know you didn't give any personal info, but even mentioning this in a public forum on the "world wide web" - I don't know, I would consider that a violation of medical record confidentiality. I know some may post a sentence or a blooper or something, but this is probably something I would have kept to myself... I am sure you thought what an interesting coincidence when you show the show, but my opinion is you should have kept it to yourself, and if I was the transcription supervisor at your hospital and I found out you had posted on this.... well I would think that would be reason for discipline. No offense meant, just my opinion.
Vietnam sound bites..But either way, war was absolutely NOT illegal. He violated
x
Only once have I seen a coworker fired and that was due to
the client no longer wanting the MT on the account. This MT was also a high producer, management raved about this person's high numbers while we gasped everytime we saw their work as it was riddled with careless errors, had no format and extra spaces and lines, uneven margins made their work look like the work of an amateur.
It took just under a year for the client to finally say something. In the meantime, I was accused of being "jealous because they made more money."
Type each report like it is the only way. Make it look like a page out of a medical journal and sign it off with love :) The benefit then comes from having people look to see who typed should a great report. Off days occur, of course, and that is when we should slow down.
a coworker is allergic to the foam
covering as well. either way they make my ears hurt/red so i put just a tiny bit of cotton from a cotton ball inside each ear before putting on my headset and don't have any problems.
Incompetant manager/coworker
Read the following report that a co-worker of mine typed for a company I used to work for. Our job was read office notes on a patient and summarize their history for the insurance company. Our MDs would then agree or deny with the request (in this case a motorized scooter) that another MD made. Is this hysterical or what? I just ran across this on an old floppy disk from 2 years ago. I eventually quit this job even though the pay was amazing because I couldn't deal with the incompentance any longer. It drove me crazy.
This coworker was my manager's "teacher's pet". Of course, my manager didn't have a clue what one medical word meant. LOL My coworker had this job for over 5 years and didn't have a clue either. I think if they would have outsourced to India they would have have had more accuracy. LOL
The following report was actually sent to the insurance company with the physican's recommendation.
The patient is a ____year old male with an inguinal hernia of the thoracic or lumbar spine. The date of injury was noted as ______ The case manager noted a history of multiple abdominal surgeries, last being in _____ The physician noted that he had chronic intractable somatic pain and had been certified for a narcotic pump, which gave him some relief.
The ______ office note from Dr. X noted refilled of pain pump under fluoroscopy. The physician noted that the claimant was having difficulty with different activities with family outside in his abdomen and pain in the legs. He could not support his weight. He had been having difficulty going beyond a 15-minute period. The physician recommended a scooter and stated he was not able to return to work.
Happened to coworker in TX last year
She just went with another co. LOL - I want to see if they win when someone finally files suit.
It sounds like they are having overload issues with the unlimited long distance pkgs they are offering. These pkgs don't say - only 4 hrs a day allowed. I think they made the mistake.
As I SD in another post above, business a/c's, from what I've been told, are for people with multiple lines, special wiring needs, and needing fast repair times. Not for people "just because they are on the phone a lot".
I don't think they have a legal leg to stand on re monitoring calls tho. That is scary!!
I worked with a woman in her mid 80s. Did your friend/coworker live in Calif. by chance?
She was great.
hippa
I don't know the action that can be taken by the person, but HIPPA is a very serious organization. I am in a situation that my insurance man has taken my personal information home and his wife has answered my complaint. NOT the company secretary. He surely did not observe the HIPPA law with me. He had no right to remove my information out of his office and discuss it with his wife. THe response was not even on the company letterhead. I intend to file charges with the Federal Government.
HIPPA
This may sound naive, but what is wrong with just saying that I comply with all ethical standards and will not disclose medical information to anyone, unless I get your approval, or something to that effect?
HIPPA FTP
What FTPs are HIPPA compatible?
Etranz and HIPPA
Does anyone know how to report HIPAA violations? I'm afraid that our dear ole ETranz is in violation of HIPAA rules. You see they use general unsecured email to send their files around. BIG HIPAA NONO!!! So........ Any information anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated!
it's HIPAA, not HIPPA. nm
x
/HIPPA/MP count
Two questions,
1. What sort of things do I need to have in place to be able to say I am HIPPA compliant at home?
2. Can someone please give me the web address to MP Count?
Thanks
Breech of HIPPA??? - sm
Has anyone else seen the news item about the man who intentionally put 12 nails into his head with a nail gun? Isn't putting this on TV a violation of this man's privacy? Even mentioning that he did it, or putting his x-ray/CT scan on for all of us to see? I know it's a news item, but it is medical, and I'm sure HE didn't give his permission for this to be aired. Any thoughts? (He is doing well and expected to recover).
Breech of HIPPA
Boy, if this is how you spend your time, you surely need to get a life.
Pay for HIPPA violations
I'm not certain who gets charged where transcription is concerned - but the physician office gets hit with it for their office personnel. I have a standing monthly appointment with a physician and I got so tired of them calling my name with a waiting room full of people that I first complained to the office manager - and then when that didn't work - went to HIPPA. The next month - they were using a numbering system - sort of like at the ice cream store or the court house - you know, now serving #-whatever. They have a piece of tape placed on the floor and you must stand behind it while another person is at the check-in counter, and they do not use your name until you are in a closed examing room. I think that if HIPPA is to be taken seriously, then steps need to be taken to make sure that it is adhered to, even if it does mean making changes in office procedures, etc. 
HIPPA Question
Hired by a group of local doctors to work from home. Getting overwhelmed. Want to recruit help for sick days, etc. Does anyone know the HIPPA rules to follow in this type situation? Your help is appreciated. Thanks & happy holidays!!!
What FTP HIPPA Compliant do you use?
I am setting up my web site and I am having trouble understanding FTP and is it HIPPA Compliant. Which one do you use?
HIPPA is a law. not people.
so who would be doing the monitoring??The facilities should be the one who care - but that doesn't seem to be happening.
Regardless whether HIPPA is the basis or not....
there is a problem there that needs to be addressed here. Either you agree or don't! No need to critize an MT who is at least trying to make an effort to do something about it.
It's HIPAA, not HIPPA (nm)
x
I didn't, but I had my satellite before HIPPA.
Currently have cable internet so not a concern, although my company had no problems with me using satellite.
How do you pronounce the acronym HIPPA?-nm
.
Need a HIPPA form for transcriptionist
An account has asked me to prepare and sign a HIPPA compliance form. Please refer me to such a form.
Pssst... It's HIPAA, not HIPPA. nm
x
wouldn't this be HIPPA violation?
Just finished dictating an irritating doctor. Thought he was dictating on his cell phone, but turns out he was dictating on an airplane. Wouldn't that be a HIPPA violation?
Sorry, but major HIPPA violation to "keep a
little file...that's a HUGE industry NO-NO. Talk about lawsuits and professionalism!
It's HIPAA, not HIPPA. People in the business really should know that. nm
x
To ICs and MTSOs, have you used the offshore outsourcing and HIPPA
issues to educate and as a sales tool? Have you had success with this? I was thinking of having this be the focus of my next round of mailings. I wonder if most clients are even aware that their stuff is going out of country. I am sure that with some companies it would not matter because the money is the bottom line, but I would like to believe at least that with some it would matter, especially with HIPPA issues. What is the current situation with the HIPPA issue at this time?
HIPAA not HIPPA (check your site too) nm
nm
why doesn't HIPPA monitor these things? (sm)
they should be the outsource police and crack down on these companies, y'know?
If HIPPA laws are broken, whether overseas
or here, the US company making the contract with the overseas entity would be held liable for not adhering to HIPAA laws as they are responsible for those companies they contract with.
PHYSICIAN SUED FOR DELIBERATE HIPPA VIOLATION
Anyone know what the penalties are for docs violating HIPPA? I know of a case where a person was damaged from a new nonsurgical cosmetic procedure and about to settle with a company to pay for the surgical repair. Prior to the settlement this patient saw a physician who sells these same nonsurgical services with a possible financial interest in the company. This physician filled the patient's face full of temporary cosmetic fillers to cover the damage and then WITHOUT THE PATIENT'S PERMISSION released the patient's records to the company and wrote a letter stating there was nothing wrong with the patient. The company subsequently canceled the pending deal to pay for the damages. The temporary fillers wore off and the damage returned and this patient is now suing the company AND ALSO the physician that released her records. This physician has caused an already traumatized patient much more stress (a subsequent long legal battle) from this HIPPA violation. What are the penalties? Any criminal charges?
Thanks!!!
HIPPA=Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act
Yes, I saw the ad also and felt it was an insult to offer that line rate for what they wanted from an IC. I put the definition of what the initials HIPPA mean for your benefit.
well, if not hippa police to enforce - quite useless. huge waste.
huge farce
They are all correct style and grammar rules. More concerning are the gross HIPPA violations sm
that you admit to. No MT should EVER go into another medical record to "check" on things.
The emails are not petty; the service obviously wants good quality and it is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS WHAT OTHERS DO. Hold yourself to the highest standard and you will never have an issue.
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