right on the ball there, are ya?

The physician can chose to include many clauses to cover his/her compliance with HIPAA.  The largest one I ever had was 8 pages long and I made the doctor wait while I read every paragraph.  The ones I did not agree to, I crossed out, initialed, dated and had it witnessed by one of the office staff.  One was a paragraph allowing the doctor to give my information for research and whether or not they stated my identifying information would be removed, I have the option to opt out.  They no longer have my permission to share any of my medical records to anyone doing any sort of research.  Period.  They chose they wording to comply.  I opted out.

Everyone forgets WHY HIPAA was implemented and what issues are going on to address the monster it is.  The purpose of HIPAA is to protect patients and allow those who may not be covered by an employer to find HI coverage, AND have it be portable (causing insurance companies to be able to share certain information about you so that it benefits you in certain cases).

Can you imagine signing a release to obtain your medical records (one of the issues also addressed by HIPAA) and find your name no where in the record?  Well, that's just absurb.  Of course a patient's name is going to be in the record.  And the physician can and does distribute patient files in an appropriate manner, under the appropriate conditions, complying with HIPAA with your name on it and you have the right to look at the mandated log in the chart to see when your chart was sent out, to whom, the requesting document, who in the office sent it out, etc., etc., etc.

There is no law stating a patient's name cannot be in his/her own chart; HOWEVER, every step must be taken to protect your privacy and in many cases with the internet serving as the medium for storage of records and transmission of records, sometimes people take steps to limit the number of times your name is used in your record.

Just last week a major university posted all the names, addresses, social security numbers, phone numbers, employer information, etc., of their business school enrolles (past and present) on its web site by accident.  Medical records isn't the only thing to get on your high horse about and neither is offshoring.

Please take a look at Sen. Clinton's security bill to address some of these issues.

And, honey, if you can't debate, don't stand on the box too long.

• HIPAA - Suzanne
  • HIPAA is a joke. These reports go to third world countries. nm - Who do they think they are kidding?
  • Reality check - Milton's Red Stapler
    • The physician cannot opt out of it. The patient cannot opt out of HIPAA, they can - Suzanne
      • right on the ball there, are ya? - Milton's Red Stapler
        • and you were pleasant on top....sm - great post, thank you, much appreciated...
  • wow - did not mean to stir it up so much. - newbie
  • Amen. (nm) - Lori
  • bottom line is what the client wants...no mess. - that hipaa poster said 3 times that I read

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