I work in a nursing home where they use video cameras in public areas, hallways, dinning rooms, nurses stations etc. not in patient rooms. My question, is I recently found out from another coworker that the DON has video feed in her private home. He knows this because He works the 11p-7a shift and has received calls from her and been talked to during his work hours from her about something the CNA's are doing or have done. Is having a video feed to her home a Hippa violation?

Does this person run the place and wants to make sure there are no problems by start?

* by staff

No, it's not a HIPAA violation.

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Originally Posted by joypulv

No, it's not a HIPAA violation.

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Thank You that's what I wanted to know.

This is not a violation, in fact residents can be monitored if not recorded and viewed only by staff members who have the need to do so.

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Originally Posted by N0help4u

Does this person run the place and wants to make sure there are no problems by start?

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She is 2nd in command the 1st being the Administrator. She keeps herself very aware of every thing that happens. Thank You for responding. joypulv answered my question.

I'm glad your question was answered. I just want to let you know that it is HIPAA, not hippa.

And, I'm not certain this isn't a violation. It would depend on where she views the video feed. Is it in a private office or in a place where anyone can view it?

I am thinking she may want to make sure that the staff is not doing anything such as abusing the patients. Like J_9 said it would depend on the confidentiality of how she is going about this.

You will have to find out if she has the permission from the Administrator for this video feed.

The OP said "the DON has video feed in her private home." So she can monitor things when she is not on the premises?

Yes, that's what they said. I think she may be not trusting a staff member or something or she is a control freak that takes her job seriously home at the end of the day.

DON = Director of Nursing, for those that don't know.

To have a home video feed would mean that there had to be approval at an upper level.

I'm not sure about nursing homes, as I work in a hospital, but I do see a potential problem with this, however I'm really not sure how to advise further.

The problem, of course, is whether the video feed is secured within the private home. If the DON lives alone and the feed is protected via a secure VPN channel etc. Then it should be OK.

But, if someone unauthorized was able to view this feed then the DON and the home could be in trouble. There are standards for securing such that need to be adhered to.

I can't see a video feed being set up in a home without the knowledge of the admin.
I imagine it would take some doing, electronically.
As the question was presented, I can't see a violation.
The DON would have to be really unaware of policy and law, even before HIPAA existed, to allow random people access to the video.
Basically WHERE the video is viewed isn't what's important ('private home') as how secure it is. It can have the same problems as it would in an office at the nursing home.
Also this is way off the reason for HIPAA, which is to protect patient information.
Employees don't have those rights.

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Originally Posted by joypulv

I can't see a video feed being set up in a home without the knowledge of the admin.
I imagine it would take some doing, electronically.

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It is possible that the feeds are being posted to a WEB site that is accessible from the Net. The DON could have the URL and password, but only permission to use it on premises.

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Originally Posted by joypulv

Basically WHERE the video is viewed isn't what's important ('private home') as how secure it is. It can have the same problems as it would in an office at the nursing home.

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Yes, that's the point I was trying to make. But, being in a private home, the DON's family could have access if not properly secured. And that could present a violation.

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Originally Posted by joypulv

Also this is way off the reason for HIPAA, which is to protect patient information.
Employees don't have those rights.

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But, if the videos show patients on the premises, that would be an issue.

The DON, or director of nursing has carte blanch if the patients and staff are her responsibiliy.

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Originally Posted by tickle

The DON, or director of nursing has carte blanch if the patients and staff are her responsibiliy.

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That's what I was wondering with my 1st question where is she on chain of command and rights?

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Originally Posted by tickle

The DON, or director of nursing has carte blanch if the patients and staff are her responsibiliy.

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Let me rephrase. The line of authority in privately owned nursing homes is no.1 the owner no.2 the DON. If she does have access it is a bonus. They are making sure there is no abuse or theft.

Yeah I meant thank you for explaining, what I was pretty much thinking