My Girlfriend works as a Medical Assistant and she uses her office doctors and interns as her primary care provider. A co worker that works in medical billing and records, has told friends of ours about her medical history and office visits concerning her and her family( son ) These friends called us and advised us what they were told. This information was given out at the co workers home during the Super Bowl party they were hosting in a house full of people. We were not invited nor in attendance at this gathering. My girlfriend does not know what to do at this time, as she does not want to cause office problems or lose her job for starting problems in the workplace. Thank you in advance for your attention with this matter.

If she does not report, she won't be working for the good of HIPPA; in place to keep private matters private, but the problem is, she is a medical assistant to her own doctor, right ? I can see why she doesn't want to jeopardize anything. Tough call.

If you want me to say she should report it, then of course, as a healtchare provided myself I would want her to.

Maybe this would be a good time to change jobs and doctors. It is actually a conflict of interest problem.

First this is a very clear violation of HIPAA. The co worker accessed records she was not entitled to and, making matters worse, revealed them to unauthorized people.

I would have a private talk with the Office Manager. From what you are saying this appears to be a large practice, so there is probably someone in charge of the office staff.

Explain to this person, that she doesn't want to make waves, but that if the co-worker did this to her, she may have done it with others or may do it again. If a HIPAA violation complaint is lodged, the practice could be subject to large fines.

Suggest, to the Manager that, at the very least, this co-worker needs to be retrained about HIPAA or read the riot act about what she did.

If your girlfriend approaches it that way, in other words for the good of the practice, rather than a personal complaint, I believe she will come out of it unscathed. And her discretion will be appreciated.

BTW, if I understood you, she used members of the practice for her physcian, but not the specific doctor she works for. That would be OK, but the physiciam she woprks for should not be her physician.. It would, probably be better if she switched physicans.