The Purple Moose Gazette: Privacy

August 22, 2005

Privacy

We are being protected to death.

Buckle up, DO, DON't, sit, stand, walk, don't walk, run . . . .

but none of those things are what I am on about tonight.

No, I want to vent just a wee bit about the HPPA (or however it's abbreviated) laws - concerning our privacy.

Found a message on the machine when we returned from Anchorage Friday night. From the doc's office. The one who did that procedure. Please call the office.

Nothing else.

Please call the office.

Of course, it was way past closing hours when we arrived home. On a Friday night. Which means, I couldn't reach anyone until today. Three days later. I've just had that procedure. Now I receive a call from the doc's office that tells me absolutely nothing.

What am I supposed to think?

Finally reached them at 10 today - their message machine kept telling me the office was open at 9, but I kept hearing that message over and over and over again.

Finally reached a human who had no clue why I had been called. She got another human to come to the phone.

Oh, you have an appointment tomorrow - we were just calling to remind you.

Erm, excuse me? Why didn't you just say so? I have worried all weekend about this phone call.

We aren't allowed to do so because of HPPA regulations.

Sigh.

Must speak with doc tomorrow about this. My other doctors all leave this message: This is your doctor's office reminding you of an appointment tomorrow at 8 a.m. No privacy issue there at all - could be any doctor. I mean, my gyn doc's office leaves that message for crying out loud.

naw, I really wasn't worried. I just want THEM to think so. Gah! I'm being protected to death, I tell ya.

Just a small price to pay, I guess.

But really, be honest now. What do YOU do with the HPPA forms they keep handing you EVERY time you go to your doc's office?

I thought so.

circle file

yup - me, too.

Posted by Purplemoose at August 22, 2005 11:43 PM

Comments

Because of the HIPPA laws you are forced to read and sign the sheet. If you do not you are not to be seen. The worst part of it all that needs to be remembered is that the law that protects you also harms you. I erg all people to read it very carefully and if you don’t understand find someone who does. Because those who pay.... OWN the report. Which means if your insurance pays for your procedure. THEY own the reports NOT YOU!.... Your own body.... and unless THEY sign a release..... YOU DONT KNOW THE INFORMATION AND ARE NOT ALOUD TOO!

Posted by: Ladybug at August 23, 2005 03:11 PM

Oh my good ness. I thought I was the only one. I had a mammogram and a few days later, the same thing happened to me. "Please call the office."

And of course it was Friday and after the office hours. All weekend I was worried, thinking I had Breast Cancer, making a will, deciding who will get what, crying for hours, telling my husband I loved him over adn over again, etc. Well, when I finally got the office on Monday, the girl says, "Oh we just wanted you to know your mammogram is fine."

"Fine?" I scream. "Fine? You leave a message on a Friday that says call you and now all you can say is Fine? Why didn't you just leave the message that it was fine like you used to do?"

"I am sorry Mrs. Deneen, Hippa prevents us from leaving any kind of diagnotic information on a recorder that could be overheard by others."

OK..... That a 49 yr woman has a mammogram is is a big dark secret!?!?!?

Posted by: Pat at August 24, 2005 09:12 AM

YEAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! Another perfect day for DBUG!

Posted by: Ladybug at August 24, 2005 10:49 PM