HIPPA in-service & giving information to patients

[Ridryder 911]

Reading another post makes me wonder...

How many EMS is actually recieving the Federal HIPPA in-services... and handing the HIPPA policy and having each patient sign they recieved it ....... (actually a Federal Law as well).

Be safe,

R/R 911

[Alcomedicism]

Good question Rid- While I havent actually been out in the real EMS world I do wonder if agencies actually do the bi-annual HIPAA in-service or if they just slop all the crew members names down on a roster and send it into state and call it done.

I havnet actually received a formal education on HIPAA - but while Im sure its a boring thing - I still would like to have all the info needed as a hopeful EMS worker in the future. I myself wouldnt breach the caregiver/pt confidentiality law - but what would really constitute as HIPAA violations? Im sure with several of us discussing certain calls - Im sure we have crossed that hard to see HIPAA line unintentionally - because as with any Act signed into Law - there are alot of technicalities that could easily land a person in hot water. Which is why - after the mother/brother snafu - I simply do not discuss calls with anyone whether it is me or it is them.

And yes Im still angry at my mother over that - as it literally cost me a potential job.

And whichever agency I may work for in the future - I would like to see them do bi-annual HIPAA in-service for everyone so that everyone is up to speed. And if there was a HIPAA breach from a crew member from that service then I would like to see that particular crewmember take an additional HIPAA course and get at least a 3-day suspension because HIPAA as we all know is serious stuff and I believe it when Im told that they are persecuting HIPAA violations.

Far as Ive been told (and from what I know) our local EMS gives out required HIPAA information pamphlets and has an in-service for HIPAA (not sure how often though).

-Alco

[Dustdevil]

I can't speak directly to the question asked. However, I can say that in the 48 hour basic refresher I just completed, HIPPA was not covered. Sure, the term came up frequently, just like it does here. But there was no formal coverage of the topic.

The really sad thing is that I have found that most EMT's know more about HIPPA than they do about physiology.

The system is broken. :roll:

[emtI4now]

I can't speak directly to the question asked. However, I can say that in the 48 hour basic refresher I just completed, HIPPA was not covered. Sure, the term came up frequently, just like it does here. But there was no formal coverage of the topic.

I would guess that would be because each service has to come up with their own policies and procedures on HIPAA. There are many required aspects, as well as many suggested and optional aspects of HIPAA, some of which do not apply to ALL services.

That's why it's each service's responsibility to train their employees, not one generic program or something like that.