Is there a phone number for HIPAA Violation information?

ScottGem · Jul 7, 2011, 05:30 PM

The board president works for this closer hospital and accessed medical records without authorization? Then what you do is call the HR department of the hospital with proof that this was done and report it.

Yes it is a violation for anyone to access records when it is not required by their job. And the place to report is their employer. You can also report it through the HIPAA web site.

C.E. Grant · Jul 7, 2011, 05:33 PM

You can go to OCRComplaint@hhs.gov in order to download the paperwork to file a violation. You may also call the OCR toll free 1-866-627-7748 for any assistance you might need to file papers, the (OCR) Office of Civil Rights, enforces HIPAA regulations and complaints.
Best of luck
C. Elizabeth Grant

ScottGem · Jul 7, 2011, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.E. Grant

You can go to OCRComplaint@hhs.gov in order to download the paperwork to file a violation.

Umm that's an e-mail adddress, you can't download anything from that. As I said, you can file a complaint through the HIPAA web site:

How To File a Complaint

ballengerb1 · Jul 7, 2011, 05:46 PM

OK I normally agree with Scott but I'm getting a different read. Board president is Pres. At hospital A,where she did not go. He looked up admissions records and found none. So he acessed no records of this friend of yours. No violation here but we could use a better description of the Board Presidents job description.

ScottGem · Jul 7, 2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

OK I normally agree with Scott but I'm getting a different read. Board president is Pres. At hospital A,where she did not go. He looked up admissions records and found none. So he acessed no records of this friend of yours. No violation here but we could use a better description of the Board Presidents job description.

I was bothered by this as well. But the way I read it, the president looked up hospital records for personal use and not as part of their job. Even though she didn't find any records for the OP's friend, the act of looking up those records IS a violation.

ballengerb1 · Jul 7, 2011, 05:55 PM

I understand but we do not know the President's job description and/or duties. I too have suspicions of what was on the mind of the President but its a guess it was for personal use, plus he attempted to find a record that does not exist. If anything, the hospital is guilty of allowing his attempted access, they are the gatekeepers for the records not the Pres. , he was the gate crasher.

ScottGem · Jul 7, 2011, 06:10 PM

Yes, but I believe HIPAA is clear that any attempt to access a patient's record when it's not directly related to providing care to that patient would be a violation. Plus we have the fact, that the information, even though negative was passed along to a third party without the permission of the patient.

This should be reported. If the hospital HR or HIPAA rules its not a violation that's one thing. I don't think they will.

J_9 · Jul 7, 2011, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sshubail

ran into the board president from where she works.

Could you please clear this up for me? Does the person in question (the patient) work at a hospital?

ScottGem · Jul 8, 2011, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J_9

Could you please clear this up for me? Does the person in question (the patient) work at a hospital?

That is not clear, are you asking to determine if this is a human resources issue within the hospital? That could have a bearing.

It appears the board president she ran into does work for a hospital. And, in my opinion, that's the key point. An employee of the hospital, used their access to hospital records to search for records for personal reasons. Then imparted the information they found to a third party. If that is the case, then a violation occurred. Unless the OP returns to clarify we can only speculate further.

Is there a phone number for HIPAA Violation information?

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