In the office a boss discloses her husband is a heroin addict to a friend who's also a subodinate. The subordinate tells another office friend who then tells the boss she heard that her family has addiction issues and questions her compassion. The boss then very irrate demands this person tell her who disclosed her family information to her. The person refused to tell her. HR manager then tries to coerse this information from the employee saying she is at risk of a hippa violation and wants to know who disclosed the information to her. Again she refused to tell her and said she forgot who the conversation was with and leaves at that. The HR director then threatens to fire her.

Is this a hippa violation-if your boss tells someone family addiction then others find out about it.

No violation as the woman volunteered this information herself about the husband. If someone else then spread this "rumor" around, oh well. HIPAA only comes into play if this was a hospital or doctor's office personnel giving out this information.

A HIPAA violation occurs when a care giver reveals info about a patient's care and treatment to an unauthorized party.

Doesn't sound like that occurred here.

I would say to the HR firector and the boss that the boss should know who he told.

No HIPAA at all, Since the person told the info thierself.

No one was looking at the persons medical record, no one was telling what they heard or saw at a medical exam.

This is the persons own family member telling people, and that being told.

Thanks for all the answers, yes this really helped. I have trained on Hippa many times but when you get involved in an office drama, you lose your objectivity and forget what you know. Thanks again!!

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Originally Posted by annasmyth

thanks for all the answers, yes this really helped. i have trained on Hippa many times but when you get involved in an office drama, you lose your objectivity and forget what you know. thanks again!!!

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This always amazes me when people have taken HIPAA training - it's HIPAA, not HIPPA. I guess the correct name isn't emphasized as part of the course.

When I took the course that error cost you BIG points. The instructor was a stickler about it.

Yaeh, geueuss not...