CNida
Green Belt
As a hospital employee or generally anyone that works in a healthcare environment, you can probably agree with me that HIPAA laws, specifically pertaining to patient privacy, can be very confining.
As a hospital employee I am expected to abide by the privacy rule set out in HIPAA. As a security officer I am put in precarious situations as it is, and I have a lot of contact with local law enforcement, usually on a daily basis.
Here is an issue I was faced with tonight. There was this guy who claimed he was walking down the stairs at his apartment and that he slipped, fell, and landed on some sort of fence post. The wound went as deep as his diaphragm. At any rate - turns out the dude stretched the truth just a bit... He didn't fall on anything. He was stabbed by a seven inch "military style" knife. The dude gave a fake name and while the police were investigating, it turns out the dude is wanted for aggravated assault with a weapon, and a shooting. And parole violation. Since the dude is receiving medical care the police obviously can't act on the warrant and take him to jail at risk for his own safety so they leave him in the hospital.
I will cut to the chase here: the city police didn't have cause to arrest other than a warrant issued by the county.
City cops inform county that the guy is here right? So they already know that. Well, we don't get along perfectly with the city cops but we have a standing rapport with county sheriff's deputies.
A deputy sergeant calls for me specifically, assuming some amount of cooperation from me, and asks if the guy is indeed here. I, surrounded by nurses, am required to give the biggest line of BS to someone I believe had a legal right to know.
"Sir I am legally bound by HIPAA laws in such a way that I can not confirm or deny that patient resides here currently." Which is hard for me to do because I disagree with the situation.
I speak to him via phone in a more discreet location, and he asks if I can call it in when the guy is released, which, I am told, is a violation of HIPAA laws.
Heres my issue: dude has a felony warrant. A parole violation. Has been involved in a violent crime, and now, is protected from the police because of "patient privacy laws".
I'd like to hear some opinions on this, from law enforcement officers and hopefully even healthcare workers as well. What is up with this? How is it a violation of privacy for the police to know when its okay to make an arrest. My take? As long as the patient is allowed to heal, in an environment CONDUCIVE to healing.... Why does it matter if we call the police when the guy is up for discharge from the hospital? Since when is a criminal's right to privacy about his healthcare information more important than him facing justice? Especially since inmates have to disclose medical information in jails and prisons so they can receive treatment???
I mean come on....
____________________________
"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."
As a hospital employee I am expected to abide by the privacy rule set out in HIPAA. As a security officer I am put in precarious situations as it is, and I have a lot of contact with local law enforcement, usually on a daily basis.
Here is an issue I was faced with tonight. There was this guy who claimed he was walking down the stairs at his apartment and that he slipped, fell, and landed on some sort of fence post. The wound went as deep as his diaphragm. At any rate - turns out the dude stretched the truth just a bit... He didn't fall on anything. He was stabbed by a seven inch "military style" knife. The dude gave a fake name and while the police were investigating, it turns out the dude is wanted for aggravated assault with a weapon, and a shooting. And parole violation. Since the dude is receiving medical care the police obviously can't act on the warrant and take him to jail at risk for his own safety so they leave him in the hospital.
I will cut to the chase here: the city police didn't have cause to arrest other than a warrant issued by the county.
City cops inform county that the guy is here right? So they already know that. Well, we don't get along perfectly with the city cops but we have a standing rapport with county sheriff's deputies.
A deputy sergeant calls for me specifically, assuming some amount of cooperation from me, and asks if the guy is indeed here. I, surrounded by nurses, am required to give the biggest line of BS to someone I believe had a legal right to know.
"Sir I am legally bound by HIPAA laws in such a way that I can not confirm or deny that patient resides here currently." Which is hard for me to do because I disagree with the situation.
I speak to him via phone in a more discreet location, and he asks if I can call it in when the guy is released, which, I am told, is a violation of HIPAA laws.
Heres my issue: dude has a felony warrant. A parole violation. Has been involved in a violent crime, and now, is protected from the police because of "patient privacy laws".
I'd like to hear some opinions on this, from law enforcement officers and hopefully even healthcare workers as well. What is up with this? How is it a violation of privacy for the police to know when its okay to make an arrest. My take? As long as the patient is allowed to heal, in an environment CONDUCIVE to healing.... Why does it matter if we call the police when the guy is up for discharge from the hospital? Since when is a criminal's right to privacy about his healthcare information more important than him facing justice? Especially since inmates have to disclose medical information in jails and prisons so they can receive treatment???
I mean come on....
____________________________
"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."