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Where would I start, in order to report a HIPAA violation? - who to contact? SM

Posted: Oct 15, 2014

I think this really should be reported and looked into, as long as we're all supposed to be taking HIPAA so seriously.

And, no, it doesn't matter what the violation was, I'm not posting it here for everyone to argue over the dirty details.

Start by. sm - Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
googling "report HIPAA violation." Seriously, there are plenty of sites including the HHS (Health and Human Services) site to guide you.

If you are working for a company, it needs to be - reported to the HIPAA compliance

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officer there. Start with your manager. Document and put in writing what you believe is the violation.

you might want to bounce it off us - sm

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just to make sure it's really a HIPAA violation. Otherwise, you might end up looking foolish.

Agree ... be sure it IS a violation first. - Sm

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If you work at home, about the only violation you could encounter would be an unencrypted email or other electronic file.

A HIPAA violation is an unauthorized release. It is not a potential or lossible release. Things said in notes, like names and numbers, are not HIPAA violations.

If you feel a provider released something on you, that would be different. There are explanations on the HHS site I linked below.

Could you be more transparent? - GG

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She doesn't need to share it here. If you are curious, just say so.

of course she doesn't need to share it here - transparent

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But most MTs have some confusion about what a HIPAA violation is. Plus, the OP sounded a little emotional about it, which is never a good time to make a decision. Depending on whom she works for, she could be considered a liability and/or unprofessional enough to lose her job.

I wonder why the dislikes on this post. Would you - want it reported if it were on you? SM

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What if it were your name on those reports?

I've seen so many times here where people are chewed out and/or a post deleted for posting something on this site that's a violation because it potentially identifies someone.

I'm looking at the other side of the coin, but apparently the dislikes only see one side with two faces?

JMHO

possible reasons - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I imagine most people find it tedious that the OP could not figure out how to report a HIPAA violation. Furthermore, the OP has already told us that she is preempting an argument by not telling us what the violation is - while telling us the violation doesn't matter.

Any of us would want it reported if it were us or a loved one. That's not the point here, though.

Yes, that's why I disliked it - nm

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x

Disliked it because no juicy details provided? - That sounds about right. nm

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nm

Don't be silly. - Really...

[ In Reply To ..]
lack of "juicy" details? How odd to assume that. You must be projecting. I disliked because they asked for help yet were abrasive and condescending. They could have simply said "I'd rather not share the details." I guarantee there would not have been all the dislikes.

That is why I disliked it, too. - Details not a part of it

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I did not like the way it was worded. It made it seem that the OP thought HIPAA was silly and the employer's focus on it annoying, and that the OP's motivation was revenge.

No details were necessary. If the OP couldn't figure out how to report it, then it is likely she does not know what a HIPAA violation is. People were just trying to save her the embarrassment of reporting something bogus and possibly losing her job because of it.

You basically go HHS.gov website and they have an electronic - GG

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form you fill out with the who, what, where, when and why and your contact information, name, address, phone, etc. Then the HHS will contact you and investigate your claim. It's fairly simple.

You don't need to post the particulars here for the nosey nellies and you don't have to worry about looking foolish. The HHS investigates and if they feel it is a true violation, they will contact the offender and begin the violation protocol; fines, prosecution, etc.

I know all of this because I worked for a doctor's office. It was shared office space with another doctor's office - separate practices, but shared space. Long story short, the other doctor's nurse and front office clerk were notorious for gossiping about the patients, looking them up on facebook, etc. It was bad. Finally, I had one of their patients come to me practically in tears saying that while she was in the exam room, she heard the nurse and the clerk talking about her mother (who was also a patient) being a "drug seeker" and how the daughter was going "down the same road." They were speaking very loudly in a public area and everyone could hear. This woman who came to me had come to see the doctor because she had hurt her back at work and was in pain. The nurse and clerk made horrible and public assumptions about this woman.

I encouraged the woman to file a complaint and I myself filed one as well because I had enough of working with such unprofessional, infuriatingly stupid people. And the process was as I described above.

Good Luck!

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