A student is at the nurses' station. A visitor walks up to the nurses' station and introduces herself as Mrs. Smith's daughter. The visitor asks what the results of Mrs. Smith's labs are this morning. The student tells the visitor the results of the labs. This action is a violation of HIPAA policy?
Yes, this is a violation of HIPAA policy. The student should not disclose Mrs. Smith's medical information to anyone who is not authorized to have access to it, even if they claim to be a family member. The proper protocol would be to verify the visitor's identity and relationship to the patient before disclosing any information.
Yes, the action of the student telling the visitor the results of Mrs. Smith's labs without proper authorization can be considered a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) policy. Under HIPAA, healthcare providers are required to maintain the confidentiality and security of patients' protected health information (PHI). Unless the visitor is designated as a personal representative or has the patient's explicit permission, sharing the lab results would likely be considered a breach of confidentiality.
