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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
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A question about hippa re: doctors and work
I've been going to the doctors a lot lately and missing work. My job requires me to submit a doctors note as proof, which I do. I dont want them to know I'm seeing a reproductive endocrinologist but since they have the notes, they could very well find out what kind of doctor he is. Im paranoid my boss has already looked into it. She had to call and verify validity of notes for ex employees-there was a suspicion they were forging notes and it proved to be correct. Can't this be a violation of hippa in some way? Just the fact that I'm giving them access to my doctor?
I once asked her if the doctors office was even allowed to confirm that an employee is being treated by them and she said yes.
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Posted 6/27/11 5:31 PM  |
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JennZ
MY LIFE!!
Member since 8/05 25463 total posts
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
Impretty sure they only verify, not give details as to what you are going for. That would be a HUGE no no.
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| Posted 6/27/11 5:44 PM |
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
Are you worried that your employer is going to look up the physicians name and find out their specialty? Not sure how to get around that since I assume you will have to give a physician name.
You can try to ask your PCP to verify that you are under a specialists care if you explain the situation but they may or may not agree to that. You could ask your obgyn(if you were referred by them) to verify since that specialty would reveal less detailed information of why you are going if your employer were to check.
I'm pretty sure it's illegal though for your employer to ask the office anything other than verifying that you are a patient.
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| Posted 6/27/11 5:57 PM |
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FirstMate
My lil cowboy
Member since 10/10 7790 total posts
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
The physician's office can verify the work note for your employer. They can not release any other further information about you.
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| Posted 6/27/11 7:12 PM |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
Posted by TuttsyLow
Are you worried that your employer is going to look up the physicians name and find out their specialty? Not sure how to get around that since I assume you will have to give a physician name.
You can try to ask your PCP to verify that you are under a specialists care if you explain the situation but they may or may not agree to that. You could ask your obgyn(if you were referred by them) to verify since that specialty would reveal less detailed information of why you are going if your employer were to check.
I'm pretty sure it's illegal though for your employer to ask the office anything other than verifying that you are a patient.
Yes, its two fold- Im paranoid that my boss has already looked up my doctor's specialty so she know what's going on with me. I dont want my boss knowing ish about me.
And two, I feel like its a huge invasion of privacy that the employer can call the doctor and the doctor can confirm that I'm in treatment.
I was to have a private practice, I'm not allowed to confirm or deny whether someone's my patient to another individual. I know I essentially gave permission to my job to call my doctor by giving them the note but its REQUIRED to give them a note. I just feel really uncomfortable about the whole thing. Thanks for responding everyone.
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| Posted 6/27/11 8:23 PM |
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
If an employer calls our office, or ANYone other than the patient. Even other doctors, we tell them NOTHING. We say we can not confirm that information due to HIPPA. We don't even look up the patients name.
That is a huge invasion of patients privacy.
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| Posted 7/3/11 11:41 PM |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
Posted by ShhItsASecret
If an employer calls our office, or ANYone other than the patient. Even other doctors, we tell them NOTHING. We say we can not confirm that information due to HIPPA. We don't even look up the patients name.
That is a huge invasion of patients privacy.
Thank you. I was feeling so unsettled about this. I'm going to talk to my doctors office about it too.
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| Posted 7/6/11 8:58 AM |
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
You don't have to give your employer permission but they do not have to keep on an employee who has a lot of absences without explanation. You gave them permission because you need to justify your absences in order to keep your job. I doubt that what you signed gives them permission to look into more than that but I agree that it would be rather easy for your employer to find out the doctor's specialty. The doctor's office should require your employer to send them the form that you signed. I would be surprised if the office verified anything without that. I tend to agree that it is best not to tell your employer about RE treatments but I think that your hands are tied in terms of you having to provide verification that you were at the doctor's office.
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| Posted 7/13/11 1:33 AM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
In our office, we can request a note be sent to our HIPPA privacy officer, who will not release any info other than confirm the note was received.
Even mentioning the doctor's name could be an issue (for example in the case of an employee requesting a private room at a convention due to anxiety issues or the employee that was bipolar, etc.).
Whether or not your office adheres to the policies is another story but yes, it's clearly a violation of your privacy for your boss to pry like that.
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| Posted 7/13/11 2:11 PM |
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Pooka
Oh Happy Day!!
Member since 11/06 5689 total posts
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
The only way the dr. can release information is if you sign a HIPPA release. You can have the release indicate that you only want dates and appointments verified, not the type of medical issues being addressed.
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| Posted 7/14/11 3:49 PM |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
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Re: A question about hippa re: doctors and work
I never signed any form like this at my job. Its in the manual that if we are sick in certain situations, we have to provide a note.
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| Posted 7/17/11 12:16 AM |
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