HIPPA
IN MY CLASSES WE DISCUSS HOW IMPORTANT CONFIDENTIALITY IS IN A DOCTORS OFFICE IS. I TELL THEM YOU DONT KNOW WHO IS IN THE OFFICE. iT COULD BE THE MAILMAN, TOU DONT TALK ABOUT YOUR PATIENTS OR THEIR PROBLEMS. WHAT YOU DO IN THE OFFICE REFLECTS ON THE DOCTOR AND HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU IN THE OFFICE OR ON THE PHONE. I WORKED IN AN OFFICE WHERE A MA WENT OUT TO LUNCH AND WAS TALKING ABOUT A PATIENT, MENTIONED THE PATIENT BY NAME AND A FRIEND OF THE PATIENT WAS SITTING AT THE TABLE NEXT TO HERS. NATURALLY THE FRIEND SAID SOMETHING TO THE PATIENT AND IT GOT BACK TO THE DR. THE MA WAS FIRED. I TELL THIS STORY TO MY STUDENTS, AND TELL THEM TO KEEP QUIET.
Victoria, this is a surprise to many, yet so essential to every job involved in healthcare professions.
Michele Deck
New students just learning about HIPAA always seemed surprised with the level of detail with patients confidentiality
Yonne, this teaching strategy allows students to learn in a safe environment where it will not hurt anyone if they make a mistake.
Michele Deck
I do believe that role playing is the best way to remember the laws about HIPAA. Half of my student act out the violations, and the other half will point out the violations. Not only do they learn doing this process but they also have fun with it as a team.
Something very similar happened in my office. The dental assistant did the same thing as the dental assistant and she was fired for it.
It is scary how little medical professionals know regarding privacy.
same thing happened in a dental office where I work. the dental asst was fired the next day, she clearly did not understand the laws and rights of the patients.
Celine, the experience of role playing what they will being doing on the job is a great strategy.
Michele Deck
I did some "real-life" examples of HIPPA violations for role playing and the students enjoyed and learned alot
Carlos, thank you for sharing how you make this lesson personal to the learners, which increases the impact of violating it.
Michele Deck
What I do is have the student think about something that they consider something that they feel is very personal and private. AT best it might be something they share with a very close friend or family. This causes them to think of how much of an "intrusion" it is to share someone's personal info.
Alexandra, thank you for stressing this important point. Information is available in many forms.
Michele Deck
I agree that teaching students about the consequences of talking about their patients' to others not involved in their patients' care is a valuable lesson. However I think that the students should made aware that the patients' confidentiality can not only be breached by discussing the patient with others but also by careless handling of their information. The clip board students carry around is another way students could compromise patients information. They frequently leave the clip board in areas where visitors or other family members access the clipboard and read information about their patient. They should be taught that protecting patients' information extends to the information contained in all written documents and should be disposed properly or kept away from desk tops and patient's rooms.
Here is another real life story: I had some plastic surgery done and the recovering RN told a friend, the RN happened to be married to one of my husband's empolyees. My husband overheard heard a conversation describing my operation and the ampount of medications I received post-op. My husband asked for the name of the source. Then, he called the board of nursing & reported this HIPPA violation, naming the name of the source, because I was crying[LOL]. I really don't know what happened to this recovery nurse but the MD said she had to fire her due to a HIPPA complaint by the board. I am sooo very careful now, because I know how private personal information can really hurt someone emotionally. My incision closed, but the emotional scar is very visual to me.
grace, thank you for stressing this very important responsibility on the job.
Michele Deck
This is a situation that I confront regularly. I emphasize the need to keep chit chat to a minimum and to never discuss patients with anyone due to the fact that offices carry every word you say even when you are quiet.
HIPPA can be breached even when the celebrity uses an alias to protect themselves. People have been fired and fined for this and it is imperative that you protect your patients and yourself even from accidental breaches.
Deb, it is important that each student learn and model ethical behavior in the new roles they will assume at graduation.
Michele Deck
There are many ways to inadvertently discuss an issue about a patient that could infringe on that patients HIPPA rights. We must always talk about patients only in the correct setting. Just one incidence of improper discussion could result in a disaster for the employee and the patient.
David,this is such a great example of how HIPAA can be breached without people realizing what they said. Thanks for sharing this example.
Michele Deck
