Re: FERPA and HIPPA - my guess

[Guest guest]

Carol,

I'm no expert on the new laws but I'm going to take a guess. I would think it

means that the doctor cannot give you names or info on patients. However, I

know that even before HIPPA, my primary care physician e-mailed me on few

occasions with names of patients that were considering a gastric bypass (weight

loss surgery). They expressed to him that they would like to talk to someone

who had gone through the surgery. They gave him permission to give me their

name. Then he left it up to me if I wanted to contact the person and share my

information with them. Of course, I'm very open and have no problem sharing

anything, so I would typically call the person or e-mail them right away and

give them my name, phone number, etc. and permission to contact me at any time

and ask any questions they might have.

Even before HIPPA, this is really the correct way to handle allowing people

considering procedures to talk with those that have already undergone the same

procedure. As far as I'm concerned, I have no problem with my doctor giving my

name, number, and info to anyone. However, the best way to do it is the way he

does. That way my privacy is not violated and I can talk to the person at my

convenience.

Now, I could be totally wrong on my guess, but I think it's just that the new

laws make is much more serious if a doctor or health care gives out any info on

you to anyone without your permission.

W

alabama