[JaimeBo]

While trying to pick up a prescription, a pharmacist assistant proceeded to say my name out loud & name the drug I was picking up. This is a Wal Mart I've used for years & never had this problem before. They have HIPPA privacy notices posted as well as a red line to stand behind so other customers cannot hear personal information. This pharmacist employee did not look up my information to even see if she had the correct information. Her words to the other pharmacist employees (which everybody could hear) were, "I wish people would quit telling people these things so I don't have to keep dealing with this." I have spoken to the store manager as well, but I want to know what can be done about my HIPPA rights being violated. This was VERY embarrassing & there is no reason anything like this should have happened. I am on certain medications that I would not like the entire world to be privy to & (working in a medical office that also follows HIPPA) I know this is a complete violation of my rights.
Thank you for any help about who I can report this to ASAP.

[JudyKayTee]

It's HIPAA, not HIPPA. This should have been covered in your medical training. I'm surprised it was not.

Here is how to report a violation: How To File a Complaint

I don't understand this part: ""I wish people would quit telling people these things so I don't have to keep dealing with this."

Quit telling people what things... dealng with what?

[ScottGem]

When one goes to a public pharmacy there is an understanding that a certain amount of privacy is lost. I wasn't there so I don't know how loudly your name or (more importantly) the name of the drug) was said. So I'm not so sure it was a complete violation. And, if you are familiar with the law you should know its HIPAA.

Judy gave you a link to use to report this. That is all you can do. HIPAA does not provide for compensation to any victims. It only provides for sanctions to the medical provider.

[dontknownuthin]

In addition to using the link Judy provided, I would also recommend that you write to the headquarters of the pharmacy.

[JaimeBo]

I'm sorry for the misspelling - I was taught this, but I am (needless to say) not thinking very straight right now after what just happened. I do not understand the statement either. If she was referring to other customers being told the same things I was told, then somebody is not aware of the correct regulations. The statement was made to another employee in the pharmacy & the one the statement was being made to did not look happy about it being said. Apparently several pharmacy employees have told other customers that they can pick up a prescription on a particular day & this employee is feeling the need to turn people away when they arrive to pick up a prescription. I appreciate the information that was given, but am a little offended that my one mistake of misspelling has been repeatedly pointed out (spelling is not the issue here). Especially since all of my training & the links ON THIS PAGE spell it the same way I spelled it in the 1st place. I am not looking for ANY compensation - only my privacy being respected by the laws in place. The name of the drug & my name were said loud enough that everyone behind the counter & everyone standing behind the privacy line could hear. I appreciate the link, which I plan to use. And thank you for the response from dontknownuthin - who is the only one who responded without making me feel incompetent.

[ScottGem]

No one made you feel incompetent. If you felt that way, it was embarrassment at your mistake. Many people do make the same mistake, but few of those that do claim to work in a medical office where they would have been trained in following HIPAA. The reason why there are many threads here with the incorrect spelling is because the people posting don't know the difference.

No one is minimizing the sense of violation you felt. But the likelihood of anyone knowing you and caring about what they heard is extremely slim.

I think you are doing the right thing in talking to the store manager and filing a complaint with the OCR.

[joypulv]

I'm sorry you feel dumped on. You statement with the comment made by one employee to another is puzzling in that it doesn't seem to be connected to anything to do with the question.
I think you will find that a complaint will take at least a year to be attended to. They have a huge backlog and they deny thousands of them. You are probably better served dealing directly with the manager of the drugstore, when that employee is there so you can identify the person.

[JudyKayTee]

I still don't understand the context in which one employee said something which upset you to another employee.

Why would anything in this situation make you feel incompetent? Seems like an odd word.

I also find it not terribly smart to use the actual name of the chain. Hope the company doesn't follow AMHD.

Your HIPAA training didn't teach you how to report violations?

And I'd go to the District Pharmacy Manager.