HIPAA Hassles

 HIPAA is not a female hippo.

In 1996, a federal law took effect at all hospitals and healthcare facilities – the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This act sets national standards to protect the privacy of patients' personal health information and patient rights.

All patient information (name, diagnosis, condition, address, discharge date and treatment) must be kept confidential unless the patient gives his or her permission. The patient confidentiality acronym is “KITTY” or “Keep it totally to yourself.”

It seems that everyone is more concerned about preventing law suits than providing excellent patient care. Perhaps I am naïve but I trust doctors and assume they are looking out for my best interest if they discuss my medical situation with others.

When Kaiser made me complete yet another HIPAA form, I put a big X on all of their options and wrote in:

I give my permission for you to tell anybody and everybody, anything and everything about my medical condition or whatever else you want to tell them.

I should have said "except for my weight." Being a difficult patient, "patient refuses to weigh" is frequently recorded in my patient chart. No one would get accurate information on my weight anyway. Perhaps I am a female hippo.