Patient-384
No Medical Care and None of His Prescription Medications for 8 days at Sunrise Hospital
Patient-384 went to Sunrise Hospital with chest pains. Patient was placed in a small, shared space with another patient --- with only a thin curtain between them. The doctor came in and shared personal information and test results, and the patient behind the curtain could hear everything. Complete violation of HIPAA privacy rights!! The doctor showed no tact, compassion or professionalism. Patient asked for these concerns to be addressed so patients and their families receive sensitive information with greater respect for privacy.
Patient-384 went to Sunrise Hospital with chest pains.
My husband was brought in with chest pains.
Initially, I was not allowed into the treatment area.
Later, I was invited back and told that an exception was being made.
Once there, I learned that staff wanted me to pay our portion of the bill, which I had no objection to.
While I was there, a doctor came over to discuss my husband's test results.
This was a shared treatment space, with another patient on the other side of a thin curtain.
The doctor spoke loudly enough for others to hear, and I felt the results were delivered without the tact, compassion or professionalism the situation required.
Having a loved one evaluated for chest pain is already stressful.
The doctor's tone and lack of discretion made me feel as though patients were being treated as numbers rather than people.
I would appreciate this concern being address so that patients and their families receive sensitive information with greater respect for their privacy and emotional well-being.
Note to readers: We have heard from many other patients about the HIPAA violations that frequently occur at Sunrise Hospital. This is another issue that should be investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Confidentiality in Healthcare
Presentation by Kristin Masterson
The following are excerpts from the presentation:
- What is confidentiality? The ethical principle or legal right that a physician or other health professional will hold secret all information relating to a patient, unless the patient gives consent permitting disclosure.
- All information about one's patient is confidential. This means not only their health situation but also their living situation, family matters, and finances.
- Individually Identifiable Health Information includes:
- the individual's past, present or future physical or mental health or condition
- the provision of health care to the individual
- the past, present or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual
- Examples include, name, address, birth date, social security number, phone number, medical record number, and diagnosis
- During the course of the patient's stay at the medical facility, it is important that information shared during this time is NOT shared with anyone that is not directly involved in the care of that patient.
- Think before you speak.
- Is what you are about to say confidential?
- Avoid discussing a patient's care in a non-private areas.
Disciplinary action for breaching patient confidentiality can range from fines to termination of employment.
Be aware that you can be held liable even if you give our your patients' personal information by mistake.
Patient-384 went to Sunrise Hospital with chest pains. Patient was placed in a small, shared space with another patient --- with only a thin curtain between them. The doctor came in and shared personal information and test results, and the patient behind the curtain could hear everything. Complete violation of HIPAA privacy rights!! The doctor showed no tact, compassion or professionalism. Patient asked for these concerns to be addressed so patients and their families receive sensitive information with greater respect for privacy.
Note to readers: We have heard from many other patients about the HIPAA violations that frequently occur at Sunrise Hospital. This is another issue that should be investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ).