My son had been experiencing chest pain. On Oct. 11, the facility nurse spent a large amount of her workday on the phone trying to get care for my son, but HIPAA prevented my son from getting timely care. Ultimately, he was brought to the emergency room because, even with all the releases and consents I had signed, effective communication was blocked by fear of violating HIPAA.
No! No! No! No!
HIPAA was specidically set up to not interfere with TPO-- Treatment, Payment, and Operations. And there is a reason for the T being first.
There is no excuse for this, especially in Oregon, where there has been a concentrated effort at training.
Mental Health has its own HIPAA issues, and I have nothing but sympathy for the frustrations of this poor mother who gets to do the bureaucratic tango every time she wants a tissue. But for the love of little worms in apples, if the patient is having chest pains, treat the patient!
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