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All modern electronic medical records have audit trails so it impossible to anonymously look up a patient if you work at a hospital or medical center. Anyone looking up a patient must have a valid reason. And yes I have seen employees get written up and in some cases fired for looking up a coworker or neighbor.
All modern electronic medical records have audit trails so it impossible to anonymously look up a patient if you work at a hospital or medical center. Anyone looking up a patient must have a valid reason. And yes I have seen employees get written up and in some cases fired for looking up a coworker or neighbor.
People in the medical profession cover for each other, and many hospitals have 0 oversight and would rather cover up wrong doing than acknowledge it. The only time people get in trouble for looking up medical records is if it's a celebrity. The OP got her records looked up by someone who is not her doctor and has not gotten in trouble for it.
It has happened three times, the last time has me blowing smoke out of my ears.
She has cancer and just had surgery but shared my medical to a stranger (to me) via email from home. I am trying to stay sensitive to her current state plus she is my boss so good not to offend but I AM LIVID.
Best approach? I'm furious but do not like to act when under heavy emotion (especially when it involves employment).
Thank you for any insight.
This is exactly why you never share any sensitive medical or personal information with anyone you work with. Even though it might feel like it helps to confide in someone when you're going through tough times, more times than not people cannot keep their mouths shut.
At this point you can continue to stew on this, go to HR, express your disappointment to your boss, or do nothing. The ball is in your court.
People in the medical profession cover for each other, and many hospitals have 0 oversight and would rather cover up wrong doing than acknowledge it. The only time people get in trouble for looking up medical records is if it's a celebrity. The OP got her records looked up by someone who is not her doctor and has not gotten in trouble for it.
You were wrong the first time and you are even more wrong this time.
There is oversight, and there are large penalties if you violate privacy laws. And people get in trouble all the time if they do.
And there is no evidence that anyone looked up OP's medical records. She said that she is being treated at the same hospital but to the extent information was shared, it appears to be information OP had shared herself with her manager, not that her manager violated her privacy by going into the EMR.
I have had several people on FMLA and as the manager I don't even get details, only HR and the consultants we use to administer for us, due to the complicated laws and chances for lawsuit (as in this case). If the employ tells someone, manager or not, then they will have a hard time winning a case. It's frustrating for the others who have to pick up the workload, not knowing why, but it's the law.
It has really changed the workplace from those in the know to those not in the loop.
Some hard feelings too as we have a history of being a tight knit group...
What happens now is if someone is out and another asks nothing is said... so then a dozen or more will reach out individually to ask...
Some simply things have been blown out of proportion because inquiring minds want to know.
For 25 years we had a policy that Department Heads would send out an email with dates away and if available to take calls... it really worked great and saved a lot of time... this changed so all you get is an out of office message... so this generates more questions which generates more...
Frustrating always saying I don't know while having to pick up the slack.
People in the medical profession cover for each other, and many hospitals have 0 oversight and would rather cover up wrong doing than acknowledge it. The only time people get in trouble for looking up medical records is if it's a celebrity. The OP got her records looked up by someone who is not her doctor and has not gotten in trouble for it.
Not my experience...
We had a very good front reception person at the Hospital with 9 months on the job and only good reviews.
She was on her 15 minute mandated break and posted a selfie of her at work to Facebook with her desk in the picture... captioned "A day at work with a smile"... she really enjoyed working here.
Anyway, the monitor in the background had patient information and was in the picture... and it got back to the Hospital and she was terminated...
This is exactly why you never share any sensitive medical or personal information with anyone you work with. Even though it might feel like it helps to confide in someone when you're going through tough times, more times than not people cannot keep their mouths shut.
At this point you can continue to stew on this, go to HR, express your disappointment to your boss, or do nothing. The ball is in your court.
And when you come back to work on crutches or with a cane... no one is suppose to ask what happened?
We are fast becoming atomatrons devoid of what makes us human...
I can see it now... coming into work and NO ONE EVEN CARES TO ASK and thinking what a cold place to be working.
I miss the old days when the boss would say so and so is in the Hospital and we would collectively send flowers or meals to the family... it was standard practice and now almost never because the Boss would never say Judy was hospitalized last night after a bad car accident on the way home from the Base Ball Game... now the Boss would say Judy will be out for awhile and leave it at that.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 09-15-2017 at 11:35 PM..
People in the medical profession cover for each other, and many hospitals have 0 oversight and would rather cover up wrong doing than acknowledge it. The only time people get in trouble for looking up medical records is if it's a celebrity. The OP got her records looked up by someone who is not her doctor and has not gotten in trouble for it.
Nope. At a previous job I had, someone complained that a coworker looked up some records and she was terminated. She is banned from any work in the field for seven years---and let's be honest, she won't be rehired.
I also belong to an agency that certifies people in my field (as well as other fields) and they report out when people lose certification. Usually, they are for something related to prescriptions, but I have seen a few where they looked up the EMR of someone and they got caught. This is a newsletter sent out to thousands upon thousands of people, with the name and location of the person who was caught, fired and decertified.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner
I miss the old days when the boss would say so and so is in the Hospital and we would collectively send flowers or meals to the family... it was standard practice and now almost never because the Boss would never say Judy was hospitalized last night after a bad car accident on the way home from the Base Ball Game... now the Boss would say Judy will be out for awhile and leave it at that.
Still happens in the places I work because most people, I guess, are okay with people knowing about stuff. At my last job, we took up collections for people with cancer, in kidney failure, etc. The organization I am with is okay with people going out if they need to, which is part of the reason I guess people are okay with sharing what is going on in their lives.
And when you come back to work on crutches or with a cane... no one is suppose to ask what happened?
We are fast becoming atomatrons devoid of what makes us human...
I can see it now... coming into work and NO ONE EVEN CARES TO ASK and thinking what a cold place to be working.
I miss the old days when the boss would say so and so is in the Hospital and we would collectively send flowers or meals to the family... it was standard practice and now almost never because the Boss would never say Judy was hospitalized last night after a bad car accident on the way home from the Base Ball Game... now the Boss would say Judy will be out for awhile and leave it at that.
Most offices I've worked in were gracious enough to want to send flowers, a card, etc. to someone who was injured, ill, had lost a close family member, etc. Personal news like this was not shared unless the person gave permission ahead of time. People's wishes were respected. But then just about all of my work groups were small. I've had past supervisors ask me if it was OK to explain a medical absence to co-workers who might ask either because they were concerned or would have to change plans because of it. It was always MY choice what to share and I could decline altogether. But, when I say "details" I don't mean their entire medical history, I mean "so and so will be out 2 weeks due to surgery" etc. There is a middle ground that puts the rumor mill out of action.
Nope. At a previous job I had, someone complained that a coworker looked up some records and she was terminated. She is banned from any work in the field for seven years---and let's be honest, she won't be rehired.
I also belong to an agency that certifies people in my field (as well as other fields) and they report out when people lose certification. Usually, they are for something related to prescriptions, but I have seen a few where they looked up the EMR of someone and they got caught. This is a newsletter sent out to thousands upon thousands of people, with the name and location of the person who was caught, fired and decertified.
Still happens in the places I work because most people, I guess, are okay with people knowing about stuff. At my last job, we took up collections for people with cancer, in kidney failure, etc. The organization I am with is okay with people going out if they need to, which is part of the reason I guess people are okay with sharing what is going on in their lives.
Notice you said co-worker? The hospitals don't care about patients, co-workers-mabye. For the co-worker to even know they looked up their records their was other issues going on as well. Don't even get me started on EMR's in private practice.
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