This is going to be boring to many, but I thought it might have significance to those monitoring the HLC and intrusive hospital-visiting elders.
Any of you in the health-care field are by now familiar with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. It is a ponderous piece of legislation (thousands of pages long) encompassing stuff like standardized coding of electronic information transmission. However, one aspect of the law will impact most of us in one way or another.
That aspect is the Privacy Section of the law. As a patient, you may notice that your doctor, clinic, dentist, or even optician, are taking additional steps to protect your privacy. No more blurting out in a crowded waiting room, "Mr. Apostate?!! Your impotence exam, room 3!!" or "Wasasister, we'll take you back now for your liposuction!"
It also encompases things like shielding your SSN from being overheard, shredding your claim forms if they are unused, and granting you reasonably easy access to your medical information. (You have many new rights under this law and you should be informed of those rights when you visit your health care provider after April 14, 2003.)
I've been doing a great deal of research on this issue because of my job, and I came across this item on a list of FAQ's. It is from one of the largest liability insurers in my state, and I consider it reliable.
Q: Are hospitals able to inform the clergy about parishoners in the hospital?
A: Yes, the Privacy rule allows this communication to occur as long as the patient has been informed of this use and disclosure, and does not object. The Privacy Rule provides that a hospital or other covered health care provider may maintain in a directory the following information about that individual: the individual's name, location in the facility, health condition expressed in general terms, and religious affiliation. The facility may disclose this directory information to members of the clergy. Thus, for example, a hospital may disclose the names of Methodist patients to a Methodist minister unless a patient has restricted such disclosure. Directory information, except for religious affiliation, may be disclosed only to other persons who ask for the individual by name. When, due to emergency circumstances or incapacity, the patient has not been provided an opportunity to agree or object to being included in the facility's directory, these disclosures may still occur, if such discosure is consistent with any known prior expressed preferences of the individual and the disclosure is in the individual's best interest as determined in the professional judgement of the provder. (reference to specific sections of law follow)
The above may be of interest to some involved in the blood issue. If I can be of any further assistance in this matter, please request in this thread and I will reply via e-mail.
Wasa
