Resolving (or coping with) privacy disputes
You've just had your third negative
HIPAA encounter of the day -- a real doozy this time -- and you feel yourself
wilting. Government sources, hospital administrators and family physicians
suggest these steps for keeping your cool and coping.
- Go right to the source. The HHS Web site at
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/ has a
multitude of resources, including frequently asked questions and answers. Check
the AAFP Web site, as well, at http://www.aafp.org/hipaa.xml.
- Double-check your own interpretation.
- Share information from the Web sites with the person with whom
you're having a disagreement.
- Ask to speak to the person's supervisor.
- Contact the organization's chief privacy officer.
- Understand that there may be confusion at the institutional level
that goes beyond your ability to resolve.
- File a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights. The complaint
site at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacyhowtofile.htm
is not restricted to patients. It's available to anyone who thinks health
information privacy rights have been violated. (Note that this action will
probably not result in a quick resolution of your problem.)
- Exercise patience. As everyone gets more familiar with the rule,
the glitches should diminish.
FP Report is published by the
AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2003 by
American Academy of Family Physicians.
