Stretcher Patients in Waiting Rooms - HIPAA Violation?

[wgardenhire]

If a patient is on a stretcher, is it a violation of HIPAA to 'park' that patient in a waiting room? Sometimes the line between fact and fiction can become blurred but I seem to remember being told that a stretcher patient was required to be moved beyond the waiting room, even if it was in a hall. Any truth to this and if so, what is the applicable reference? This question was bandied about the break room and it seemed everyone had a different answer.

[JPINFV]

Why would it be a HIPAA violation any more than the patients currently waiting in the waiting room?

On a side note, a hospital I used to volunteer at would use the code room for "triage plus" where patients would go in, get a physical exam done by a physician, get labs drawn, and then sent back out to the waiting room while waiting for the labs.

[ERDoc]

wg, do you mean an EMTALA violation? HIPAA only has to do with pt privacy issues.

[RaceMedic]

Yea in the metro area we dropped PTs in the waiting room as "triage appropriate" all the time.

As i understand EMTALA, that only has to do with IFT, maintaining level of care from one hospital to another. am i mistaken ?

Race

[nypamedic43]

_{EMTALA is a law that guarantees a person emergency services regardless of thier ability to pay.}

_{https://www.cms.gov/emtala/}

[RaceMedic]

_{EMTALA is a law that guarantees a person emergency services regardless of thier ability to pay.}

_{https://www.cms.gov/emtala/}

Thanks NY I hadn't looked it up before but i know that the ER where i work always mentioned EMTALA violations when small surrounding hospitals would transfer someone in and not call in reports or send a "code Red" in with a BLS crew. Clearly not an appropriate level of care given the condition ... However i will now read and review the law so i know .

Race

[nypamedic43]

You're most welcome I couldnt remember what it was so looking it up helped me too

[RaceMedic]

So far with what i have read, i was way off concerning EMS. The only mention of EMS systems are hospital based but then it still hasn't mentioned much. But i will keep reading...

Race

[wgardenhire]

The issue, I believe, is one of having the patient on a stretcher; and I believe it is specific to stretcher. Supposedly a person on a stretcher invites scrutiny from the public and it is this 'invasion of privacy' that would be at risk. Simply put, patients on stretchers are stared at.

[RaceMedic]

when i dropped them in the waiting area they were taken off the cot. We did not wait with them. No HIPPA, No EMTALA .. their condition just did not warrant a cut ahead in line.

Race

*edit*

If they need to stay on the cot then they need to be in the ER not the waiting room/triage area... Just to clarify

Edited October 23, 2011 by RaceMedic