This week we are discussing Medical Legal issues. In the medical field, HIPAA is a huge part of possible legal issues and of utmost importance. We must not share/talk/or give out any information related to our patients to anyone besides those directly involved in their care without explicit permission from the patient. This can include a lot of different situations like talking about a patient to a coworker in a hospital elevator, telling a friend about a patient that they know, or sharing details about a car accident with family members. Patient confidentiality is a high priority in the medical field and it is important to learn how to recognize breaches in HIPAA so we will not find ourselves guilty of it in the future. Anything that happens at work, should stay at work. This is to help you from crossing the line when it comes to sharing patient information. We have a responsibility to our patient to withhold their privacy.

Read these and share your thoughts on the situations. Did you realize these actions were breaking laws?