A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry
regarding HIPAA - this is important for MTs - MTPocketsTYMT
Posted: Jan 28, 2010
if we are to be held responsible for any kind of so-called 'security breach' which can be so easily manipulated to either just get ridf US MTs or at least make life a iving ____ for those of us left in these jobs (for example, if your reports are not 100% perfect - because 98-100% would no longer make sense because an error is an error and all are a security risk and breach - (this is so ridiculous I almost cannot even write it)); however, an MT can and will be fired for such? Immediate dismissal is what I am told for a 2nd error.
my question then is who will be left to MT? has anyone thought about this and what are your thoughts. will "MT" still exist. will it be only the people who have shifted to QA who are left, and then only to QA VR and what, what will they have to QA?
who is going to want to type reports for unintelligible doctors just so that you can take all the responsiblity when (and I say when because we ALL will make a mistake occasionally) you don't catch one of their mistakes or you make one of your own? I mean seriously, is anyone going to let this happen to themselves? personally, I make more mistakes the more pressure I am under, and the pressure is like being inside a cooker these days.
shouldnt the MTs have SOME protection? didn't the hospitals used to protect us when we were their employees. I was always told that as a hospital employee they would stand behind my work (if I was in good standing, of course).
so shouldnt companies have some responsibility as well for MTs who make mistakes and errors which are now called Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act violations? I mean what does Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act mean anyway? portability, you mean as in porting the information where, in your brains, in computers, overseas? What? information is still stored in my brain when I type a report. I cannot help it.
if we have to be afraid of our own shadows now, I guess is my point, who is going to even want to type anymore with such risks? why in our right minds would we do that. what will be benefit from when at ANY given time we can be fired and sued and made as scapegoats for the people with the money.
why would we risk our entire financial futures, or perhaps even prison (is this where it will go?) just for a few measly dollars to type for doctors and people who don't seem to even care what they are doing.
these are the people who LET THIS ALL HAPPEN to begin with by shipping information all over the world to SAVE MONEY. why would we trust these people?
forgive any and all typos...I am in a hurry and do not have a good disclaimer at the moment but I wish I could put one on all the reports I type - I have no right to try to save my self though. that would not be acceptable.
HIPAA - jaytee
[ In Reply To ..]I'm confused, who says an error is a security breach? If you're an employee of an MTSO, they will have new BA contracts (or should) drawn up to the specifications of the new HITECH act and they must train you in all new policies and procedures, including how to handle security breaches, which must be outlined in that contract, and if you're an IC, you should have one with anyone you contract with, that outlines the same. All contracts that are well thought out should already have something in there that states the policy for handling errors in a document. The basic privacy rules with HIPAA have not changed, but HITECH does for sure add some teeth to it, and allows, yes, for MTs to be named in lawsuits if policies are not in place, or followed.
HIPAA - itype2
[ In Reply To ..]In my opinion, the chance of an MT being sued for a HIPAA violation is rare, I would think it would have to be a huge mistake. However, a breach of confidentiality is a major issue and will get you fired regardless of where you work; I cringe when I hear about transcriptionists doing work on their laptops at Starbucks or having their computers in living areas in their homes where others can see their work. The MTSOs also need to take responsibility for confidentiality of patient info and make sure they comply with the laws; providing secure networks with encrypted software would be a step in the right direction. The "portability" in HIPPA refers to patient access to their medical records, not the information we carry around in our heads, lol!.
what is your opinion on - anon
[ In Reply To ..]medication errors.
errors - MAMT
[ In Reply To ..]HIPAA is about confidentially, not errors in the report. I read something years ago about errors and omissions insurance for service owners, but they also said it was not necessary. Ultimately the person responsible for any errors is the one that dictates/signs the report. Their signature is SUPPOSED to mean they have read the report and corrected any errors. That is what co-signatures and dictated by: lines are for. It is saying somebody else dictated this, but I read the report and the information in it is correct. Ideally, each person involved in a patient's care should check for errors to prevent them.
Not medications. It would be the doctor's name - and phone numbers in report.
[ In Reply To ..]If you accidentally typed in the wrong phone number that number was sent/faxed to a pizza company, yes, you could pay a fine of 2,500 to 25,000 or fired. If you put in a doctor's name wrong, for example, Dr. Saghun of Endocrine and it was supposed to go to Dr. Saghun of Cardiology, yes, you can be fined and fired.
Know what? With the current miserable state of affairs - in MT today, the potential hilarity of -sm
[ In Reply To ..]accidentally sending a medical record to a pizza parlor would probably be worth any fines or firings imposed. AND make my day. And no anchovies, please.
The company I worked for showed this on - a video of what could happen.
[ In Reply To ..]You could be fired and fined for accidentally typing in the wrong fax number. Just as easy as changing the last to digits 444-4443 to 444-4434 and was accidentally sent to a pizza company. Kaboom! Your fired.
These days, who really gives a flying u-no-what? - These company-heads are all idiots.
[ In Reply To ..]
Cannot understand all this paranoia, unbelievable - Older broad
[ In Reply To ..]Why in the world are you being suckered in to thinking people are standing behind you breathing down your neck about this? I have never in my life and those are a lot of years I have here, never seen anything like this. I think someone needs to see a psychologist about this. People talking about consulting lawyer, going to prison. What is your problem???? I don̢۪t live my life in fear and people who are writing these definitely need to seek out some psychiatric attention.
I agree with Older Broad - This is ridiculous
[ In Reply To ..]You guys really need to get a grip! It does not take a genius to figure out what all of this means and why certain laws are being put in place. Good grief, it is not so someone can come after you. You are not going to go to prison. You are not going to get fined. Knock it off with trying to cause hysteria here.
Well, you can get fined if you accidentally switched - the last 2 digits of a phone number.
[ In Reply To ..]And that report was sent to a pizza company instead of the physician. You can get fined if you accidentally gave a copy of the report to the wrong Dr. Smith. That was made perfectly clear at our company. If we are unsure of which Dr. Smith, it goes to QA and they are more responsible for it.
If we have a Smith I never get wrong name - Old broad
[ In Reply To ..]All I have to do, always is give a nonname and cc to Dr. Smith and the person at the hospital takes care of that. I am also not worried about being fined. I am not worried about a prison term, I am not worried my job will not be here tomorrow. This does not worry me in the least.
So what if the dictator switches the last 2 digits, you - think its correct, and when found out, -sm
[ In Reply To ..]the dictator claims he dicated it correctly and blames it on you? Oh, wait - this already happens. I'm not worried about stuff like that. We do the best we can with what we have to work with. Most of us don't make enough money to keep ourselves in toilet paper, let alone with savings accounts worth suing in order to go after. And if everyone starts suing and fining each other over this, who will even remain in the business? MTSOs included? I think the whole HIPAA thing that's going down is going after the big breaches, and the big guns with the big money. Not us little peons with nothing. Who knows, maybe it'll accidentally do some good and clean up what is currently a very dirty business.
The way most MTSOs are run breeds paranoia. - nm - Zircon
[ In Reply To ..]
I want you to calm down MTPockets. - You can only do the best you can do.
[ In Reply To ..]I know your company is giving everyone a hard time for any errors you make from what your post stated below. You are a good MT and you know that.
Just focus on the patient name, any dictator stating a doctor's name in a report and phone numbers, addresses. These are the critical aspects of the medical report.
If you are unsure of which doctor a copy goes to or which doctor to place in a report, "The patient sees Dr. So and So", then place a QA marker.
If a QA reads that report and/or corrects, they too are also reliable.
This new HIPAA is mostly covering the butts of hospitals, the staff, and physicians, not MT's.
Hang in there. Even the lawyers and judges are new to this new law change. It is going to be interesting. Be fortunate that you do have discernment in this matter as it seems most do not.
thank you... - MTPocketsTYMT
[ In Reply To ..]but I did already receive a violation and was written up the next one would be immediate dismissal.
in all honesty, I am human, and am tired and stressed out already with money worries, and it is actually causing me to make mistakes I have never made in my entire career. I am most always 99-100% but I never signed papers saying I was perfect when I took this job.
You will get through this! You can do this! - Just do the best you can.
[ In Reply To ..]Stress does not help and you know that. Do the best you can. You are only human, that is correct. Have to stop worrying, but be aware. Again, you are very fortunate you have discernment and see what can happen. It shows you care and you are conscientious in what you do. That is what you tell the company.
Honestly. A company that only allows 1 mistake sounds - like one you dont want to stay at anyway.
[ In Reply To ..]Dismissal from such a draconian sweatshop atmosphere might be the best thing that ever happened to you. Don't let them bully you. That's exactly what they're doing. Bullying.
I am having a good laugh at others expense here - Ridiculous
[ In Reply To ..]I have not heard one single solitary thing about all this junk you all are talking about constantly. No emails about 1 mistake and you're gone, nothing. People are up in arms and terrified of their own shadows. Either find something else to do or stop with all this the world is coming to an end. All this sounds paranoid.
Can you really blame them? Kept in the dark all the - time with no honest communication?
[ In Reply To ..]
Actually I can blame them, you see - Ridiculous
[ In Reply To ..]If you become a doormat for a person, that is on YOU, not the next person. I read these posts and everyone seems to be an oh pity me type poster. No one has to sit on their behinds and wait for good to happen. This is all so darn ridiculous it is not even imaginable in my world.
normally I would agree but, - MTPocketsTYMT
[ In Reply To ..]speaking up is exactly why I am in this mess. whenever I stand up for myself things get worse. give me some advice how not to have that happen and I will gladly take it!
Just as I stated, you do not sit on your hands waiting - Ridiculous
[ In Reply To ..]for something to change. You can be taken advantage of IF YOU allow it. Don̢۪t blame the companies, blame the employees who let the owners put them over a barrel. Find a decent company, check around first that it is a good fit. Others here are absolute door mats if they let the companies get the upper hands on their livelihoods. I have never ever been intimidated by a company and would walk in a heartbeat first before that would happen. People sit here and WAIT for work to come to them, go broke, cannot pay the bills. What in the world have the people come to? I don̢۪t understand this mind set at all. I never before had the opportunity to sit around and wait on work, I had a family to take care of.
There you go judging everyone and assuming - guess you just post to feel superior
[ In Reply To ..]Who says anyone is sitting around waiting? Who says they aren't trying to better their situation? I guess you have a zillion employers on tap and can just stroll into a new job any time you aren't happy. The rest of us aren't that special. Get over yourself, because the next time you "walk in a heartbeat" you could find yourself unemployed. Yes, it CAN happen to you next time!
I speak from experience and I read these posts - Ridiculous
[ In Reply To ..]I have walked before, from 2 jobs, not in the comfort of my home but outside jobs without another job. I read the posts here and many people here state over and over they are sitting waiting for work. Do you read these or is it just me? I am not superior but I have experienced and can say what is truthful.
Have you walked LATELY, in this economy? - I bet you have not!
[ In Reply To ..]Times have changed. Experience is neither desired or appreciated by employers in the current market, as people with plenty of experience daily attest on this board. You are unrealistic if you think most people are silly enough to quit without another job lined up. The competition is too fierce. Fill out an application and find out the CURRENT truth of how much your experience means...instead of sneering at people with problems and pretending there's a job opening at every business in town - there is not!
The current economic situation must have been going - on for the last 5 or 6 years then
[ In Reply To ..]Because all here have complained of the same for all this time. I am not sneering, telling the truth and since when is truth not a good thing?
Its only your opinion of the truth - which to some of us is "ridiculous" right back!
[ In Reply To ..]Your reality does not represent the reality of every MT on this board. Stop pretending the only truth is in your own personal lala land. People being treated badly by every employer they find is also a reality. You can't get it through your head other people can't always just stroll straight into their next job, and be golden, can you?
to clarify... - MTPocketsTYMT
[ In Reply To ..]not 1 mistake, 1 "more" mistake, which would make 2. as in they already gave me a written warning. my quality is always 98-100, if not 100 at times, and I am not a new employee. I explained below in a post but mine seem always go to the bottom.
anyway, its done now but now the pressure is on, above and beyond all the additional pressure/scrutiny. hopefully I will never make that error again, but I think medication errors are included and some others.
we can send as many reports as necessary to QA (on this account) but in my opinion some seem a little too 'happy' to find faults.
you are right... guess I just feel stuck - MTPocketsTYMT
[ In Reply To ..]in the first place I had never even made this mistake until an email was sent out that anyone who makes it will be written up once, and the 2nd time fired. all of a sudden I made the mistake.
...and everyone gets so excited (almost happy) about actually giving out the violations. it's weird.
thank you for taking the time to respond and encourage me. you sound very sensible.
:)
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