How Gossip Can Cause HIPAA Violations
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- Опубліковано 27 лип 2024
- How often do we catch ourselves talking about someone else? Gossip is a casual conversation about other people which can be positive, neutral, or negative. A study found that the average person spends almost an hour per day gossiping.
These conversations are detrimental in the workplace. It’s unproductive and wastes time, as I just mentioned, and it causes a lack of trust among coworkers. But it’s even worse at health practices.
Employee gossip is one of the most common causes of HIPAA violations. The reason that gossip is so common is that it happens so naturally. It’s easy to fill conversations with stories of other people, and it’s hard to catch ourselves doing it or recognize what qualifies as oversharing.
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While gossiping should always be off-limits, employees should especially avoid it in common areas. Medical facilities have so many areas where someone else could be right around the corner. Even if you have the authorization to talk about a patient with another coworker or the family, you should still do this in a private space.
If someone overhears you talking about another patient, they’ll lose trust in your practice for not being careful with sensitive details.
Sharing stories outside of work is also unacceptable. You might think it’s safe because no one from work can overhear, and your family or friends won’t even see the person. But even then, you shouldn’t share these stories. You never know who someone else might tell or who they might know.
Social media might not seem like a form of gossip, but it is. Talking about patients online is just as bad, if not worse, as talking about them in person. You have way less control over where the information goes once it’s online.
Anyone can screenshot, save, or send anything to another person who wouldn’t normally see your posts. Even if you realize you made a mistake and delete your post, there’s no way to know who is already reached. As the saying goes, “Once it’s on the Internet, it’s there forever.” And it has the potential to become so much more widespread.
Now, sometimes patients or employees will specifically ask you about another patient. This is a difficult situation to deal with. We might feel rude to point out that it isn’t their business. It’s hard to know on the spot if a coworker has authorization or if they’re just being nosy. It would be awkward to look like you don’t trust them since you have to see each other all the time at work.
And patients who ask about others might be genuinely concerned or looking for hope for their own experience. Whether it’s with patients or other coworkers, most employees feel uncomfortable having these conversations. But the problem is that they don’t know how to respond.
You can imagine feeling flustered or overwhelmed to speak up on the spot that you aren’t allowed to talk about it with them. In order to avoid these awkward and dangerous situations, practices need to cover this section within its annual HIPAA training sessions.
Finally, people will try prompting you to gossip about a patient because they claim that they’re family. Okay, let’s say that they are actually related. This doesn’t automatically make them authorized to know the patient’s health information.
Sometimes it’s with the best intentions, but other times it’s just out of curiosity. Thankfully, the HIPAA Privacy Rule outlines what’s permissible to share and who to share it with. This guides all health employees on withholding or giving details to a family member or friend.
Even though your conversations about someone else might not be negative or malicious, they can still be harmful. Gossiping damages trust between people and makes for uncomfortable situations.
Most people aren’t okay with talking about others, but it’s hard for them to voice that. Even worse, there can be legal consequences. Maybe you missed this lesson from your practice’s HIPAA training, but talking about patients without a purpose or to an unauthorized person is never okay.
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#HIPAAViolation #EmployeeGossip
Nurses will never stop laughing, smiling, or snickering at the bedside of a patient, being in the hospital is no joke, I do not have a sense of humor, keep your comments, your sarcastic remarks, and leave me alone or I’ll have no alternative, but to just leave, AMA
Gossiping in the workplace or in any matter is a bad decision either way.
SCI CLASS
Angela, Audrey, and Sammantha.
and the other girl :)
this was exactly what i was looking for thanks 🤐
Sad thing is.... HIPAA does not cover all entities. And with all the nonprofit providers now handling databases for 'research and statistical data' ..... it seems like a very fine line, whereas nonprofits or 3rd parties are compiling data for their customers (medical entities and/or agencies, etc.). Does HIPAA need to update their penalties for these 3rd parties that work for other entities? Yes, these nonprofits may sign the contract that defines adherence to privacy etc, but many 3rd parties hire low wage people that come and go and some that are tucked into universities use students as interns to handle statistical data. These youngins haven't a clue on privacy or HIPAA and do not understand the significance of gossiping about data. So, who enforces 3rd parties that work for agencies? What kind of data is being shared with these 3rd parties ? Are identifiers redacted? If one has been to a doctor recently, take the time to read their privacy statement next time you visit their office. If I ask them to opt me out of selling data, in which we have the option of doing so, the system defaults to opt me in and the young ladies at the front desk look at me like they are on cloud 9 and tell me they cant opt me out (they have no clue) . Many doctors now sell all patient data to a research company, then I started being influxed with mailers, calls, etc from other 3rd parties. Talk about privacy!!!!!!???? Who is paying the 3rd parties to compile data? Is this project used with our tax dolllars?! All about money.
My ex caregiver gossips and sadly gossiping about her client that she works with she shared her first and last name and her health condition she seriously violated hipaa she needs to be removed as a caregiver she doesn’t care about her or anyone needs to be held accountable for her actions definitely she broke the trust with her client!
We live in a small town & have a woman in our neighborhood who works for a home health care facility where she fills in where needed (schools & homes (both private & group). She is constantly revealing someone's medical & private, personal details. Young school children - to the elderly, doesn't matter. *NO ONE* is off limits.
"Susie Burns (7yrs old) came into the nurses office to see me this morning complaining about a stomach ache, but I know she was faking; she has mental problems. From what I hear her parents are having marriage problems. I hear she (the mother) has a drinking problem, ". This has been going on for years & everyone who knows her has the same stories.
I've told her repeatedly "you should *not* be repeating this information / this is information I should *not* know". Doesn't matter. I've since warned her, if I hear it again, I WILL be reporting her to the company she works for.
Even people in my neighborhood tell others about a neighbor's private health information, not understanding that they can be personally sued.
I patient and heart doctor on hall talking about other patient also myself too in from to the door about my medical attention while I came back and medical assistant explained to him and hall I heard everything about this conversation
I went to get a procedure done and one of the phlebotomist that I don’t know disclosed this information with someone outside of the clinic that got back to me. Do I have cause to bring a lawsuit against this clinic?
Any advise? I had a Medical Clerk yell out what type of surgery I was having 3 times. She was reading from the paper. I was in shock.We also go to the same gym(acquainted)so I guess she felt she was entitled to my business. I may have to find a new doctor since she works there. But I have a good doctor, I want nothing to do with this worker though
Former nurse commited HIPAA violation before she found her next job.
Is she still work as a Nurse??
instead of doing their jobs. Every visit you get a survey
There are some clinics here in el Paso, tx. Some violating hipaa rules here in el paso, tx
once there was 2 nurses at my doctor's office gossiping about my penis reduction surgery
You wish...lol!
Did'nt know they allowed you to go from 3inchs to 2? Crazy!!
Hippa at clinics 501c3s
Covid Vaccine? Don't ask, don't tell.
i went to summit malibu treatment center. This treatment center was in a very bad habit of allowing the text to be inside the med room with the nurse when handing out meds to clients. One of the techs {ty} gossip was so pervasive that he was sharing what meds the clients were taking with staff and other clients. This led to a very uncomfortable and hostile environment where it was the staff versus the clients. The clients who pay up to $4,000 per day for treatment came to this facility for help and trusted the facility to gain the help and support that they need. Having administrative staff and text share sensitive information behind the backs of the clients is a serious conflict of interest including HIPAA laws. A woman I saw who was my principal therapist (Amaris Baker) initially created a safe environment where I divulged some of my most vulnerable childhood fears and a number of other psychological issues that I handed over to get help with. Ultimately it would be Amaris who was instrumental in having me discharged from the facility in the presence of a staff member. (ty) when I mentioned to the staff member that I would like privacy to be with my therapist he refused it. And Amaris said I only had confidetiality when she was my therapist? Well if she was no longer my therapist then who was she? Unfortunately this is how Summit Malibu takes advantage of its clients and gas lights people who come to them for help like I did. I would like to move forward in bringing HIPAA laws confidentiality and others to the attention of state and federal agencies so that those in need of treatment don't fall prey to staff t(ty) herapists (amaris baker License No. 133944) and Facilities such as Summit Malibu. If anyone has information on how I can move forward and filing a complaint I would love to hear from you thank you so much
I had someone take a picture of me when I got to the Hospital. And then share it to other people. How do I know? Someone sent it to me. I am filing a HIPAA PRIVACY complaint with HNN in Washington DC.
Pretty sure it was not the Doctor or Nurses or My CN and CNA. I think it was a 3rd party person who took the picture and shared it. I hope someone gets in trouble.