HIPAA Violation(s)?

[Chief1C]

May not apply since it's the Bahamas, but he'd being kind of open w/ the details. We'd get sued for that here..

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28497268/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,475766,00.html

[Arizonaffcep]

As long as that area isn't part of the U.S., there's no application of HIPAA. Although I would assume that they have their own laws governing release of information.

Specifically about the articles, I don't think they presented a HIPAA issue (even if it occurred in the U.S.). Reason being, there really was not much information that had not ALREADY been in the public domain. Now, I'm not saying talking to the press about a patient (even in limited detail) is good form, but I didn't think there was any additional info that wasn't already played out through main stream news media.

[spenac]

Just saw this post about said subject on another site and actually kind of agree.

"Why is EMS basically an unknown service in the USA? Because we never get to talk about our calls. We never get to draw any positive attention. We never get to show the blood and guts. You always see cops and fire fighters for lack of better term bragging about what they just did. The public sees and hears them but they never hear from USA EMS people about our work. They only see the bad headlines or the call 911 in emergency statements. If we can not talk about whats done to actual patients no wonder the public disrespects us by calling us ambulance drivers. Honestly I wish we could tell them about some of the things we are required to do and even include real footage. The public would soon realize that we do a whole lot more than provide free rides to the hospital.

So I refuse to judge this EMT for taking a moment to bragg and be a hero for attempting to save a life."

[JPINFV]

I think that there are better ways to go about releasing information. An example from So. Cal. is one of the larger ambulance companies (Care Ambulance) posts reports of their strike teams when ever they are deployed or any MCI style situation. Included on the pages are action shots from the scene.

http://www.careambulance.net/index.aspx?page=infocenter.asp

[spenac]

But think about shocking grandma back to life with TV channel X broadcasting live. Wow we are heros then like fire and can get whatever we ask for. Currently there are no real action photos or video because of legal issues. Anything released has to be sanitised so far that the public does not get any real idea what we do.