Hipaa

[magaliagirl]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

I am in college and utilize the campus health center. i am outraged because every time i go in to be seen the rude secretary asks me what i am being seen for and what my symptoms are. this is in a crowded waiting room that she badgers me for answers. at times, i do not want to share why i am being seen and i feel like this is a violation of my privacy. are there any hipaa laws that she is breaking? last time I was in there, there was a girl needing to see the psychologist and the secretary told her she wouldnt be seen if she didnt tell her why so the poor girl had to admit she was suicidal with a room full of people.

[cbg]

HIPAA does not prohibit anyone from asking you medical questions. HIPAA only prohibits someone else from releasing your medical information without your permission.

If you don't want to answer her, don't. But she is not violating HIPAA or any other law by asking.

[commentator]

Why not take the problem up with the director of the health clinic? It would do a lot more good to let this person's supervisor know what is going on, and that you are feeling violated and humiliated, and that this situation might cause a person who really needed some type of help to avoid getting it, setting the college up for a potential lawsuit.

I'd take it to the next level up, the receptionist's supervisor, going through each step by letter so you would have the records. Then if nothing is done, carry it up to the next level, which would be Dean of Student Services, eventually the president of the college. But this would be the tack to take.

Student health services at colleges and universities have taken a lot of bad flak lately for the campus shooting and suicide issues going on, and if I were a campus official, I would certainly appreciate a concerned student letting me know what was going on at the grassroots level at my school. You students are paying good money to be there and be cared for by health services, you have the right to request that they treat you with dignity/privacy at least, though it may not be specifically required by law. Parents are taken around at orientations and shown the excellent medical services their children will be offered while on campus, but my children felt the same way as you, and avoided the health clinic at their college like poison. That's wrong!

[CJane]

Wow, is it possible that at a walk-in clinic, her job is "triage" - to assess the situation and ensure that you're seen in a timely manner and by the correct person for whatever symptoms you're presenting at the time?

It IS a walk-in clinic, isn't it? So you could have anything ranging from psychological issues to a hangover to syphillis. Each of those sort of requires a different level of medical care, yanno?

Get. Over. It. Or go to a "real" doctor's office.