Legal hippa Question?

Wife was admitted to hospital for trying to commit sucided. Her ex husbands friend somehow found out that she was there and called and asked to speak to her and they said she was busy and would diliver the message. Did they not break confidentlity and hippa law by acknowledgeing that she was there. Now ex husband know she tried to commited sucided and is using it in the custody battle!

IceBreaker27

The hospital did not violate HIPPA by agreeing to deliver a message. They would have violate HIPPA if they gave a diagnosis or reason for admission.

Sounds like something is missing here. How did this guy find out about a suicide attempt?

Mia R

If you call any hospital and say is Joe Shmoe there and he is they can say yes he is there. Hipaa stand for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
If someone called the hospital and said is Joe Shmoe there and the person said yes and the caller said well what was he admitted for and the person said oh he tried to commit suicide then thats a HIPAA violation.
Just knowing the person is in the hospital is not a violation but receiving health information about that person is..

Patrick G

No.

HIPPA protects the unauthorized release of identifiable patient information.

Confirming that a patient is in the hospital and the admitting diagnosis is not protected information.

fangtaiyang

No, HIPPA does not prohibit taking messages from someone to give to a patient. No medical information was revealed. The ex does not know officially that she was admitted for any particular reason

Michael H

Mia is right, the hospital can confirm that she is a patient, however they cannot release an admitting diagnosis as this is without a doubt considered confidential health information.

If the hospital DID give them an admitting diagnosis, then the other answer is wrong, and you can certainly file a HIPAA complaint.

The diagnosis, if the ex husband did not use any illegal means to obtain it, may or may not be admissible in court, contact your attorney and let him deal with it, that's what he is there for.

krollohare2

If the hospital inadvertently disclosed this information, its in trouble with the government. But can't be sued under HIPAA

However, the ex has to get an order to obtain the information which, until it is signed by the judge, means he can't use it legally. However, judges can admit evidence if the wife told the ex about the suicide attempt. That would be different.

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