Stretcher Patients in Waiting Rooms - HIPAA Violation?

[Kiwiology]

Nah we put patients in the waiting room all the time; sometimes in chairs sometimes on a hospital gurney

[Chief1C]

I don't see how there could be anything wrong with leaving a patient in Triage, upon being told to do so by the receiving facility. Except we don't leave them unattended, on the stretcher. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen, suppose they try to get off, and it tips over? Screwed. "A high percentage" of the people who ride in on the stretcher, didn't need an ambulance-or a trip to the ER in the first place. Triage or fast track areas, for EMS, is a great way to metaphorically slap someone across the face that feels if they're in an ambulance, it will be considered an urgent matter, and they shall be whisked right in and taken care of before anyone else.

In a recent incident, as is common is rural areas, I was summoned to give aid via my home telephone. (I don't use the land line, I use a cell; and internet, etc., is through the cable line. So, when my phone rings; it's like 30% wrong number dialers and 70% "I need the ambulance".) I got there, gave first aid, then suggested they call their doctor the next day. Nope, "I think I'd get seen quicker if I went in the ambulance". No, you don't need an ambulance, in fact, you didn't need me to come all the way out here. They agreed, I left. An hour later, they called the ambulance. In transit, a call came in for a medical, in an area that takes more than an hour to access. I never make someone regret using the ambo, I WANTED TO, but I didn't say anything. I said in the radio report, "triage appropriate", and the person sat in the waiting room for six hours (according to them). They said "next time I'll complain of chest pain. Great, @$$#01e.

[RaceMedic]

Consider the person to have just been trained! and i do not mean by you but someone i am sure mentioned that if they would have complained of chest pain and they would get right in .

Race

[usalsfyre]

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.

Bull malarky, and whoever told you this is making stuff up to avoid doing something they don't think is right.

[nypamedic43]

This is a link to HIPAA. Its not the law itself but breaks some things down.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html

A patient that is rolled in on a stretcher has no expectation of privacy, in a community great room, like an ER waiting room. A person that walks in also has no expectation of privacy. The HIPAA law is in place to protect a person's health information

and how its shared and with whom.

Just because a patient gets stared at, doesnt mean that thier privacy is being invaded.