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Hospital confidentiality breach in RI.

Posted By: americanmls on 2007-03-02
In Reply to:

A hospital in Rhode Island breached patient information of over 2000. Federal investigation underway. Patient's names, SS#, telephone, etc., put out for all to see and caught by a patient who "googled" her own name. They say it was only face sheet info and hospital offered to pay for credit check or credit fraud alert. (Which is free by the way!) So please be careful who you get involved with. I don't believe it was medical transcription or medical records since it was face sheet information but believe me, all subcontractors to this hospital are now on alert and you should be as well. It's out there! The scum bags who post info are at it again. They also had a scandal at a RI supermarket chain where the credit card swiping machines were altered by crooks who are being charged with federal crimes, two would keep the cashiers busy while another would alter the card swiping machine, put it back to collect information, then come in again, take out the swiping info and people as far away as California were charging to these poor innocent people in RI whose cards were swiped while doing their weekly shopping. So don't think your information is safe anywhere. These stories can be confirmed by the local newspaper in RI, "The Providence Journal" at their website, "projo.com". Check it out!!


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PS to confidentiality breach
I should have said they "had" their confidentiality breached by others. The hospital was very apologetic of this and does not know who did it but called in federal investigators to find the source of the poster on the website.
Hospital fined for breach of octuplet mom's privacy

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/15/octuplet.mom.hospital/index.html


LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The hospital where a California woman gave birth to octuplets in January has been fined $250,000 by the state because nearly two dozen medical workers, including doctors, illegally viewed her medical records, according to state health officials.



Nadya


Nadya Suleman was the subject of controversy after giving birth to octuplets in January.


"

Kaiser Permanente's Bellflower hospital, where Nadya Suleman's eight babies were born, revealed in March that 15 employees lost their jobs and eight others were disciplined for improperly accessing her computerized medical records.


There was no evidence that information from the medical files was leaked to the news media, which has intensely covered Suleman's story, according to Kathleen Billingsley, deputy director of the California Public Health Department's Center for Health Care Quality.


Six of the privacy breaches happened at other Kaiser Permanente facilities, which are linked into the same computer system housing medical records.


Suleman -- already a single mother with six children -- gave birth to octuplets conceived through in vitro fertilization, fueling controversy. News of her collecting public assistance for some of her children outraged many taxpayers.


By the waq, it should be brEAch of HIPAA. nm
nm
Priority #1 is breech/breach, which to use? nm
xx
Correct about breach of privacy and its NOT too late
As others have stressed on this board, both here and under the politics board, you have a voice and have the opportunity to make it heard. I personally have been e-mailing my US and state elected officials at least once a week. At the Women for Democrats website one of their goals is to bring American jobs back to America. http://democrats.senate.gov/checklistforchange/checklist.cfm The credit card processor for my bank, Heartland, recently had a huge breach in their security system. Per our local State Police this theft is way up due to 2 factors (1) Once our private information leaves the US, those entities are NOT governed by US law and there is little they can do about it; (2) the economy as more people are now willing to buy that information. He said the same goes for our medical information. If you do a search for "medical identify theft", there are over 70,000 hits on that, mind you I did it in quotes, so most likely more without it. This was published Jan 2009, so recent, with many links at the end including a US Government report. http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/report-hhs-must-lead-medical-identity-theft-fight/2009-01-26?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss&cmp-id=OTC-RSS-FHI0 In the years 2000-2004, I was one of the front runners fighting mortgage servicing fraud (very complex, see MSfraud.org) We were told then that there was "nothing to be done" - well a lot of victims of that fraud banded together and did make a BIG difference. We can too by getting our voices heard, working together as a team and following the many suggestions on this very informative forum at MT Stars.
Depends on what kind of hospital? Large urban hospital or small community hospital? SM

Also, is it a large teaching hospital? If so you have to consider there will be A LOT of different residents dictating, usually a lot of ESLs at teaching hospitals, and the residents rotate out and new ones rotate in every summer. So you can't expect to get the same dictators and build up your macros because the dictators change all the time.


I would say 9 cpl would be a pretty good offer for a small to medium community hospital where you will be doing the same dictators on a daily basis.  But for bigger, urban or teaching hospitals I would want at least 12 to 15 cpl. 


Sue him in small claims court for breach of contract
x
What about EMR and confidentiality? sm
Have a bad neighbor who is a CNA (the worst-behaved person, drinks, yells, swears all day) and she now has access to medical records at a hospital. Someone was in the hospital anonymously but she proudly announced she "found" them and what was wrong with them, etc. How are we going to prevent people working in hospitals or nursing homes, etc., from accessing ours or our loved ones medical records? I see one heck of a mess here! My doc went EMR and now I am very careful what I say to him, some things I should tell him, I do not because I don't want it read by the whole neighborhood. What's your opinion on this?
Ever hear of confidentiality? nm
nm
security, confidentiality, etc...
I also have a home computer and all the same programs on a laptop to use when I travel. It's no different than my home computer. When I type at home, I am typing in my living room with my husband and son moving all around me. (We're remodeling right now.) They respect that what I am typing is no one's business and they have never even offered to look or ask what's going on. Furthermore, this is a family computer, not provided by work. They are on the computer quite alot when I'm not. The program in which I transcribe is password protected and the information on patients is not stored locally, but on a server 1000 miles from here. That's about as secure as you can get. Then, that is not to mention that I have a wireless network here at home, as well as when I travel. With a password and a good firewall, security is just not an issue. Also, see the post from Just Me a few down, about networks. She is correct. (I also have worked in IT for many years.) Hotels ARE secure networks with original passwords. The last one I worked in had to give me a new password daily. Working at McDonald's or an Internet Cafe is what wouldn't be safe.

As for the laptop... like I said for my main job, no patient information is stored on my hard drive, but at a server away from me. I have a local account also, and once I do the work and send it in, it is deleted. I personally don't see the concern. There's not any point when I'm traveling that I have patient data stored on the laptop. The only way anyone could get patient information off of it is if they bust in the door while I'm working and jerk it from me mid-note.
Patient confidentiality
I remember when I first started out in MT in a hospital part of medical records confidentiality agreement was that we only had access to records on an as needed basis and were not to be talking to anyone about the things we transcribed even if it was a relative, family member, etc. That was gee now close to 10 years ago.

I know like others on the board, it would be nice to know what EMR will mean for all of us. If we are to be out of jobs, I would sure like to know now so that I can start planning financially. Also, as I have been searching for more information on implementation of EMRs, the more I get concerned myself about my personal information possibly being spread. Given my still rather young age of 31 and having no medical conditions requiring medical attention/medication, it really makes me wonder if I may want to look more into alternative medical care or a private physician who has alternative medicine in addition to medicine as we currently know it.
Confidentiality Agreement
Does anyone have a generic confidentiality agreement that they use for their clients.  I have new doc, and I don't have any agreement in my file.  I have signed theirs, but do not have one to offer the new doc.  Anybody have one or know where I can find one?  Thanks so much.
Confidentiality Agreement
There was an Agreement of Confidentialty that was posted on 05/20/09 by DeeAnn. that was really good. Hope this helps.
I have never signed a confidentiality notice that says
I can't mention what account I type on - I know they always say not to contact that place or try to get a job with them, etc., and I don't see the big deal either. I can't see why a company would care if someone knows what hospital you type for. I guess some places are just different, but seeing as how I assume she hasn't signed anything since she just accepted the job, I really don't see how they could not hire her because she mentioned that, not knowing that they didn't want her to. That's just my opinion though.
Absolutely Not. That is against HIPAA and will cause confidentiality breaches, nm
x
You should have signed a confidentiality agreement which allows you to type this unless-
you do not feel comfortable typing it, in which case I would ask my supe to reassign it.
The buck stops with you (all of us). What confidentiality means is

that you/me, the MT, do not discuss the name and contents of a report with anyone outside the immediate realm of responsibility and only within a professional context. 


If you feel really uncomfortable with doing it and have the option of sending it back for someone else to do, that acceptable but not entirely necessary.


If you *have* to do a report on someone you know, do it, and put it out of your mind.  If you see that person, you cannot discuss anything about it with them, even if they ask.  The onus is upon us to keep.our.mouths.shut.  That is all that confidentiality entails.


 


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when you work for a national, you sign a confidentiality agreement...?
the same rules would apply, and you must have signed a confidentiality agreement with whomever you work for. you can be fired, if breached.

my opinion, as a professional, you transcribe it and mums the word...

when I worked in a hospital, someone was caught 'sharing' information about the CEO from a transcription report, and was fired on the spot.
It's a written rule in some companies confidentiality agreement.
I know my company has it as a written rule so it just is not good business. I would think an MT would know this
IMO, you violated a patient's confidentiality by even posting about this - that you transcribed t
I know you didn't give any personal info, but even mentioning this in a public forum on the "world wide web"  - I don't know, I would consider that a violation of medical record confidentiality.  I know some may post a sentence or a blooper or something, but this is probably something I would have kept to myself... I am sure you thought what an interesting coincidence when you show the show, but my opinion is you should have kept it to yourself, and if I was the transcription supervisor at your hospital and I found out you had posted on this.... well I would think that would be reason for discipline.  No offense meant, just my opinion. 
Hospital. I wish I'd never left my hospital job.
They'll only take me back if I start off working nights and weekends again at the bottom of the totem pole.
If you work for a hospital - how come no one from the hospital
called you?? Were they in the dark, as well?? How sad, that no one in your hospital communicates with the at home staff.
hospital MT
Call the hospital.  You can offer a better deal to them.  Most MTSOs charge the hospitals a lot more than what they pay out for the actual work done.  I work for a hospital.  I asked for a raise after 10 years, they baulked, started looking at outsourcing.  They changed their mind really quick when they found out how much they would charge them.  (four times what they paid me).
Hey, if you don't want that hospital job can I
have it? Just kidding (only because it's probably not where I live in central Florida). Started working at home for the kids over 10 years ago, but they are all grown now and I realize I don't know anyone because I hardly ever leave the house!!
hospital job
My situation too. Son out of the house now. Still know all the people at the hospital as I worked there for 10+ years and still do side typing for one of the units there that were not taken over when they outsourced!   So seriously considering it....Sorry, its in PA!
I think they did that to us at the hospital

but no O/T.  But you could get on there and do BONUS MINUTES at 6/cents a line all you wanted.


I always felt like that should have been illegal.  If I'm working, then I'm working.  If I'm an hourly employee - then anytime I'm working!!!!! I should be an employee and thus paid HOURLY WAGES.  But they got away with it.  Sort of a hybrid deal.


They screw us any way they can.


  (good little screws all in a row)


 (Medical Records Supervisor yucking it up drinking coffee, practicing snapping her whip)


(Me at the end of the day saying WHY AM I HERE?????)


Hospital pay
I make about $15 per hour at my hospital job in Washington state and have recently quit that to work out of my home. However, I have not yet found any home job that even comes close to that when being paid based on lines.
hospital pay
i make 21/h. living in the hawaiians islands, thats actually pretty good
hospital pay
my main job is at the hospital and i would never leave it especially with all the benefits and good pay. ic has its benefits when it comes to tax time, but as far as job security and being a single mom, i choose to stay at a guaranteed $20/h. too many people are unhappy with the problems of security in this line of work and i dont want that to happen to me.
Hospital pay
Out here in Oregon, all hospitals pay from 14 to 19 plus benefits.  Am considering going with Kaiser after the first of the year and having my I/C's run my business.  Have one doctor retiring after the first and deciding whether to do all my own accounts and make $40K doing 30 hours per week without benefitis enjoying life and not saving much or going with Kaiser at 18.50 per hour with benefits and having the I/C's doing 80% of my work and I will type parttime on the weekends.  Have only 10 more years to work.   Have been offered work at Kaiser, Providence and Good Samaritan Hospitals so the work is out there. 
Hospital pay

At least with the hospitals out here in the west, they always have posted salary ranges and you can usually always exept with decent experience to start in the middle somewhere and reach the top in 5 years.  Worked in HR in a large hospital for a bit.  They always post the salary ranges here with positions and with that you go in with a bit of knowledge.   I never did see one start at the top though.  Good luck. 


 


Hospital job
Let us know how things go.  I would fear that they see MT as just "typing" and would give you so many secretary duties that the MT part would be pushed to the back burner. 
TAKE THE HOSPITAL JOB - sm
national services lose accounts all the time whether it is nonrenewal of contract or fired, or whatever, your pay is never the same from week to week with a service, you may have extra transcriptionists on your account all of a sudden, work load varies, etc.

With the hospital work, you know your doctors, you have guaranteed hours and work and even down time (some services don't offer that), overtime, benefits, etc. Some hospitals even offer reimbursement on college courses - CAN AN MTSO SERVICE OFFER THAT?? Some hospitals have family leave time for 12 weeks of maternity!! Can an MTSO service offer that?

Take the hospital job!
Take the hospital job...
Those are only real "for sure" MT jobs out there anymore.   I worked for years for a service but since  I took my at-home hospital job, I feel like somebody for the first time in the eyes of my employer.  We are all local, so we have staff meetings and come into the department for different things, yearly reviews, parties, etc.  We're all in touch via e-mail  and know each other face-to-face too. I get paid by the house, have a set schedule, and can earn incentive pay too.  I have paid holidays, benefits, and am a hospital employee except work at home.  I love it, would never EVER go back to clawing for lines at a service who barely knows my name.
Hospital Job
One thing you have to be careful of -- are there witches in that hospital who will send you the "worst" work or not send it at all and keep it for themselves? Be sure - I know one hospital who "punishes" the work at homes because they're afraid their dept. will be outsourced completely. Be careful who you deal with. Don't like MTSO's so I started my own, but family sickness and my own illness forced me to retire (temporarily, I hope). When offered work at home from a hospital, I had to say no and glad I did, another person said yes and just sits there waiting, and waiting, while the in-house people make the bucks and if they do send, it's all stuff they don't want to do. Be careful and good luck!!
HOSPITAL JOB ALL THE WAY!!! the Way (sm)

That's good pay and bennies to boot!!! I would die for that.


I worked for a hospital as an IC for many years at home. That's the only way the hospital bigwigs would allow it, not employee status.  Never ran out of work except in the first few weeks in a new year. Never had "just the junk" as some suggested. I did the same work as everyone else. I tried to get my employee status back (which I was once) but no luck. I was at home. Some rule about that, but I was happy.


I'd go back to my hospital in a flash. My buddies want me back. The boss wants me back. For some reason, they still won't give me employee status. That sucks. ('scuse my French).


Don't even THINK about what to do, DO IT. You'll never be sorry.


 


Hospital

I work full-time from home for a local hospital and am paid per hour.  I also work an IC on a part-time basis.  I would say if you need the benefits and steady paycheck and can handle working possibly rotating weekends and holidays, yes.  The only good thing with working with some nationals is having the flexibility with your schedule but you will NOT make a steady income.  You will constantly run of out work, loose money and find yourself clocking in and out all day long just to make 8 hours.  With a hospital, you know that the work will be there everyday and if you have downtime, you will still get paid.  Also, having that security in knowing that you can speak to management face to face or over the phone. Go for the hospital, because I know a lot of MTs wished they could have that opportunity.  Go luck to you!!!


hospital
security, benefits,local, communication, "real people" versus "phone people"
take less money and have these advantages, the days of making a lot by working on production are over
Good Luck!
Thank you both, will look into it and ask at the hospital too.
//
hospital IC
I contract with a local hospital.  I worked there for a little less than 2 years and as I had a sickly child and wanted to be closer to home, we agreed to my working at home as an IC.  My hours are pretty flexible although if I do not work I do not get paid.  And they do have someone as a back up for me when I am unable to work.  Still, I would not want to go back to work 8-5 at the hospital.  This has allowed me to be there for my children's activities and be home when they are sick.
new hospital......
The MTSO I work for does basically the same thing. Except they don't pay us by the hour, by production. Just about any place you work will do this.

As long as you work your assigned hours, it should not be a problem. Turn off the phone or let it go to voice mail (if it's family call back on break). Just work as if you were in an office, and there will be no problems. Don't try to do your laundry and cook dinner while you're working - it will kill your line count.

If you are getting an hourly wage plus incentive and hospital benefits, you are at the top of the heap - if you quit, let me know where you are and I will relocate and take the job!
My hospital wants them done like this...
If doses are given and there are more than 5 medicines listed, they want it in number format (even if 1, 2, etc., is not said). If there are less than 5, paragraph form. If there are no dosages at all, no matter how many meds are listed, paragraph form.

I'm sure you will get a lot of different answers on this though. :)
HOSPITAL PAY
Not true. Many hospitals pay more. I make 50,000 yr at my hospital. I am full-time. I get same benefits as those who walk through the doors every day. I am not penalized if I don't meet the required line count each day. We have a week to reach our line counts and then we are not penalized. They know how hard we work. We never have to worry about losing our insurance because of "meeting quotas", and they provide all equip and pay the internet bill as well.
hospital pay

I'm thinking of taking a position at a local hospital. I would be picking up dictations and taking the reports back the next day. What would be an acceptable line rate? It would be a mix of both ESL and non-ESL. Any input would be appreciated.


Hospital MT
I know exactly what you mean.  They opened the Surgery Center here about a year ago, and our workload has also decreased.  And, because some of the girls in the office talk too much and are not doing 160 lph, we get no overtime as it is being sent to a service company instead!  We have two hospitals nearby that sold the department out and went strictly with the service company and one is sending their work to India!  Unfortunately, a lot of us need the benefits, which we will no longer get if this happens to us. 
Hospital Job
Would 9 cpl be considered good pay for an in-house employee hospital position?  No hourly pay, just pay on production.  Benefits available such as PTO, paid training, health/dental insurance.  Have option of working from home.  Is it worth considering?
Hospital Job
It is a smallish/medium hospital with few ESLs.
hospital QA
I work for a hospital. We do verbatim, but use BOS as well to a degree. We have to use our judgement. If you know it is wrong and it changes the patient care then it should be flagged for QA. Better safe than sorry. Their job to take care of it as far as I'm concerned.
I second getting on with hospital/doc
You will earn more money in a hospital or doctor's office for the first few years, and will probably have better benefits such as insurance, too.
I am used to the ESL...I came from a hospital that
was 80% ESL. You can't get away from ESL and I think 50% is about average.