At a recent doctor's appointment, the doctor was discussing my weight, and asked me if I knew what my BMI (body mass index) was. I told him I didn't know. He then opened the exam room door and shouted down the hall to the nurse, "what is (my name - first and last) body mass index?" She shouted the answer back to him. The doctor then closed the door, and asked me if I wanted to know the number. I replied that I had already heard it (and so did everyone else in the waiting room and probably the exam rooms.) I was mortified to have that personal and confidential information broadcast in this way. What should I do?

Report the breach of HIPAA to the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/)).

Apparently violations of HIPPA are rarely if ever punished. But assuming there were other patients in earshot, it does appear that this was a violation.