I am a ward clerk in a hospital and was recently terminated for committing a HIPAA violation. We had a patient transferring to a hospital out of town and the family asked for the address and phone number of the hospital the patient was going to. I informed the patient's nurse that the family wanted this information and she told me where to get the phone # and to call the hospital to get the address. When contacting the hospital, the nurse at the other hospital asked for a family contact name. I gave her the daughter's name that would be calling the next day. I never gave out any patient information at all but was told that giving the daughter's name to the other hospital was a HIPAA violation. Is this really a HIPAA violation or was I unjustly terminated?

:confused::(

You should not have been telling first the other family where she was going, that is for the business office to give only the authorised person.

After that how do you know this person was authorised by the patient to get the medical information at the new hospital, that is for them to sign and take care of at the new hospital.

I think you misunderstand the situation. First I did not tell the family they already had been informed by the nurse the patient was transferring to another hospital plus the family member (daughter and wife) had the patient's pin # and were authorized to get information. Second, I gave no medical information or the patient's name. I only said we were transferring a patient there and asked who and what # the family would call to get his pin # for that hospital. The receiving unit asked for the name of the family member who would be calling and that's what I gave them. Now, was what I just clarified a HIPAA violation, especially when th nurse caring for the patient at my hospital gave me the phone# and told me to call?

I don't see a HIPAA violation at all. Are you a member of a union? If so, complain to your union rep.

If not you may want to consult an attorney.