I would like to know if it is a Hipaa violation if a pharmacy employee wants to befriend a customer who seems down and out and gets their phone number off the pharmacy computer and calls them at home to invite them to a social during the Christmas season. This actually happened in North Carolina. Employee called customer twice... left message the first time and second time spoke to customer's elderly mom who said customer wasn't available. I was only trying to reach out and welcome this person to our community since they had lost their corporate job and had had to move in with their elderly mother.

You crossed the line, my dear, of confidentiality. It was your job to keep this information safe and respect that even you could not do this unless it was on a professional level, say to inform of repeats available.

Yes, it was a violation. Did they report you ? Is this why the question came up?

I don't blame them.

Tick

Did you lose your job over this? Calling a customer like that is a violation of confidentiality and a breach of the pharmacy's policies.

You meant well but it was the wrong way to go about expressing your concern.

Wow - yes, it's a violation. I'm surprised that the Pharmacy didn't immediately terminate your employment.

Wow, that is one of the most blatant violations of the HIPAA laws.

If your employment has not been terminated, it should be.

The information on that computer belongs to the pharmacy and is not yours to do with what you wish. That is private and privileged information.

You not only violated the HIPAA law, but you breached a trust that the customer had in that pharmacy. Shame on you.

Reminds me of one of my late husband's Physicians who called ME after my husband died and asked me out to dinner to "cheer me up." It was a blatant invasion of my privacy and I simply couldn't believe what I was hearing. And, yes, my telephone was unlisted so I know where he got the info.