privacy and patient/visitor policies at other institutions - Healthcare Professionals Message Board

mercyme0314 · 06-23-2004, 11:38 PM

I work in an 15 bed ICU unit in a 300 bed hospital...would like to know how other hospitals are dealing with the new HIPPA laws and visitors...especially the phone calls asking for a progress report on our patients...we use a password system for ours..."do not publish" patients continue to be a challange,especially the ones who are DNP for their own protection (ie.-gunshot victim/domestic violence with assailant still at large) outside sources,like the newpapers tell the public the patient admitted to such and such hospital and then pester us for more info...and when family members make the patient a confidential - DNP because they don't like the patient's significant other (not married) and that person already knows they are there..but suddenly get told we have no one by that name on our public roster....this takes away from patient care.

dalesgirl · 06-24-2004, 12:21 AM

I work in a nursing home and when those new HIPPA laws came out we had long meetings about it. I also live in a small town where everyone knows everyone so they USUALLY aren't as strict about them but I have seen them when they have been and although it's irritating to the caller and they sometimes get frustrated we just have to tell them it's the law and doing our job. We've been told we're not to give ANY information out even over the phone even if the person says they are the POA because there is no way to know for sure.

My husband's niece was in the hospital in an ICU unit last year. My husband would call in the morning and if her parents weren't right there he would ask the nurse how she did through out the night. I would be whispering "She can't tell you" and he would get SO mad but I defended the nurse by trying to explain the law. Of course he'd call and do it again a few days later..LOL I felt so bad for that nurse.

Personally I think the laws have gone a bit far. I think if my grandmother went into the hospital I should be able to call and check on her but ya know that's not how it works.

As a healthcare worker ya just grin and bear it I suppose.

purpleaa · 07-26-2004, 09:42 AM

I know some facilities use passwords and others use a short list of people allowed to have an update on the patient's condition over the phone. The problem with passwords is that the people who have it give it out to others who shouldn't. There is no failsafe system.

The assault cases pose a terrible problem for healthcare workers and patients. Media listens to police scanners and finds out where victims are going. I don't think there's any better way to handle this other than what you're already doing.

mel1977 · 07-29-2004, 12:13 AM

depends on the facility, but the biggest change is where we can keep the paperwork and flow sheets. It has always been known about pt confidentiality, but it has been taken a little far in some respects. I work at two diff rehab hospitals:same company. One has last names with first initial on door, the other has first name with last name initial. We have to have the names of family that can be informed of conditions. OUr company has always been big on PC it is just being re-interated and pushed in other areas that just nsg. If anything, it is just a little annoying.

jacksinn · 10-10-2004, 09:49 PM

I work in a nursing home. Another LPN tried to get me in trouble by photo copying a flow sheet and showing it to a supervisor. The super. gave her a written disipline for having confidential information in her poss. off of the unit. Back backs are a b****