A child was crying and carrying on in a dentist's office. A hygienst in the other room who knew the girls family and was good friends with the family called the girl's aunt and said, "you won't believe who is in here carrying on. Your kids are a saint compared to her." Her name was revealed as well. This was on an answering machine because the girl's aunt was not home at the time. The tape has been deleted but the receptionist was informed the next day and the girl doesn't go there anymore. This happened about a year ago. Was her privacy violated under the HIPPA law?

Sounds like a violation to me

I don't see a HIPAA violation. No medical diagnosis or treatment was revealed. It was, however, a breach of ethics and the hygenist should have been reprimanded.

But think of it this way. Lets say the location was a Burger King and the aunt's friend was a worker at the BK. And she called at said the same thing. There wouldn't be a HIPAA violation.