[ABChrist]

I am a health care professional. I work for a large organization. I recently worked with a family with a variety of personal problems and needed to get another health care professional to work with one of nonverbal members of the family to provide a very necessary service. I felt it was important to explain some of the family's personal issues in order for the healthcare professional to work with them, as they take offense easily and I wished for the second health care professional to avoid conflict so he/she could provide the very necessary service without being asked to leave. My agency has said that I violated the HIPAA rule in this communication. Any ideas of the truth of this statement?
Thanks.

[charlotte234s]

You are not supposed to talk to another doctor/professional/person in general about someone's issues, problems, etc. whether they will be helping one day or not, that's what the charts are supposed to be for, I believe.

That's probably wy they said you violated HIPAA.

[Fr_Chuck]

One health care professoinal can disucss a case with another health care professoinal working on the same case.

i.e. day nurse tells evening nurse what ha happened, doctor explains to nurse what is needed, nurse tells doctor what is happening,

Now if you did not get permission for this other health care worker, if they are not part of your company, and if the family did not know they were getting this other person to help, and if you told this person things that was not actually needed to be told.

Also what offense, if it is not about the acutal medical condition, you can tell them about customs, and items social needs, not related to the actual medical care.

[LearningAsIGo]

I have worked for several years in a similar capacity as you've mentioned for a health care clinic and hospital.

You are free to discuss necessary information with any other professional who is being asked to take part in that case. Anything you decide would help your coworker in dealing with this family is allowed so they are well-informed and prepared to deal appropriately.

HIPAA becomes an issue if you were to discuss it with anyone (healthcare pro or not) that did NOT have anything to do with the case.

[LearningAsIGo]

You are not supposed to talk to another doctor/professional/person in general about someone's issues, problems, etc. whether they will be helping one day or not, that's what the charts are supposed to be for, I believe.

That's probably wy they said you violated HIPAA.

In general, no. The nurses in my office cannot just walk up to me and start blabbing about Mr. Jones financial info, diagnosis, etc.

If however, I am included in his care, I am privy to any and all information that can be shared related to my professional capacity. (For example: I don't deal with finances, so no need to tell me his insurance info. I DO deal with hands-on care, so I should know diagnosis, right along with mental/emotional status)