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It was shortly before midnight, and Dr. Patricia Harris was getting ready for bed. The phone rang. On the other end of the line was a woman about to break a promise.
Suppose your mother is a patient in the hospital or Emergency Room. You are her family caregiver and when you ask about her treatment, the doctor or nurse says, “I can’t tell you that because of HIPAA.” That answer is wrong. But you need to know more. What is HIPAA? Why should you as a family caregiver need to know your mother’s medical information? And what can you do to get the information you need? Here are answers to these and other questions family caregivers ask about HIPAA.
Think you have a working knowledge of your own health? Here’s a quick quiz: Do you know your blood type? When was your last tetanus shot? Do you have contact information for your doctors? Names and dosages of all your medications? If you found it tough to come up with details while reading your morning paper, imagine how difficult it would be to provide comprehensive information during a stressful medical test or emergency situation.
PHRs have been an enormous asset to my duties as a caregiver, simplifying routine medical appointments such as medication adjustments. After all, there’s no guessing when it’s on a piece of paper.
Maintaining a personal health record (PHR) is the key to my existence today. My PHR experience started in the early 1970’s. My parents were diligent about keeping comprehensive and up-to-date files and medical records for me, due to a near medical error as a child. I was almost given the wrong medication by the physician in an emergency situation.
A friend reviewed my medical history with me, including all of my illnesses and health issues. She asked me to start at the top of my head and to go all the way to my toes, and to list anything that was wrong including explanations for any scars.
- Should my PHR include emergency contact information?
- Where do I go if I can't find the information I need on your Web site?
- What is the training for people involved in managing my health records?
- Does AHIMA store copies of my health record?
- What do I do if I believe my health information privacy rights have been violated?
- Where can I locate the federal and state laws that govern the disclosure of my health information?
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