Psychitrist in my office begins to date office mgr. He is divorced she is not. Together for four yrs. Just as things appear to be getting very serious office mgr breaks it off with MDoffice mgr is the f3emale. She staes too much stress thjat kind of crap. Turns out she is dating someone else... the currently married husband of her former boyfriend the shrink's patient! All are in various modes of divorce. Office mgr knows that pt is former BF's as she doea billing and AR and met this 4x married guy through the office. How bad is this legally, Hippa-hypothetically speaking of course.

Hello Scmeg:

Great name...

This ain't bad legally, hypothetically speaking, of course. It would make a great soap opera, though.

excon

HIPAA wise it's a non issue. Unless she uses information she is privy to because of her position or accesses records she shouldn't there is no HIPAA issue.

Ethically, she is having extra marital affairs, that's bad right there. Dating a patient carries its own ethical issues.

If I was the doctor, I would tell her that she has to cut off the relationships or resign. Of course he's in a shaky position himself having carried on an affair with her.