On my radio show I have www.TheThriveDoctors.com CEO Dr. Kim who gives an amazing interview on how to thrive. If you have chronic medical problems and don't see a way out, she can help. She's a board certified ER doc who has an interest in getting people to live and feel healthy.
Dr. Kim outlines her five steps to feeling well and THRIVING on my show. Listen here: http://tiny.cc/x6b3fx
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Monday, May 12, 2014
Shooting from the HIPAA
I recently completed my required Compliance Education which discussed all types of ways doctors can go to jail.
One issue that stood out was HIPAA violations (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the modern digital era. Apparently, it wasn't just the doctor who treated Octomom that is in trouble-EIGHTEEN employees of the hospital where she delivered were fired as a result of improper access of her records. Even though, as it turned out, no information was fed to the media from these employees.
There was another case (I know, you can't believe that I actually read the pdf before answering the questions!) where a patient had a FB [foreign body] lodged up his rectum (you can imagine what the FB is) and multiple employees viewed the x-ray and some snapped cellphone pics of it and put it on their Facebook site. They too were fired.
There's two HIPAA issues here: Access and Distribution. Improper access of records is a violation. And in both situations this was violated by many employees. Distribution is not necessarily a HIPAA violation if no personal identifiers (see below) are used.
I just read this fascinating post, initiated by this question: "Are Doctors required to get patient permission to use unidentifiable x-rays, CTs, EKGs for medical education online?"
According to the article, the answer is...No.
This is based on the 18 indentifier criteria for Case Reports, to make them HIPAA compliant. They are listed in the above linked blog.
However, just because it isn't a HIPAA violation does not mean that it is not a fireable offense. I was discussing this issue with a Health Care Lawyer friend of mine who pointed out that the hospital owns all the records related to the patient. And even taking a cell phone picture is in violation of their intellectual property which can easily get you fired.
That may be your patient, but it is not your right to use that information, EVEN if you get permission from the patient to do so, or don't get permission but eliminate identifiers and have no HIPAA violation.
I would be very careful taking any images of anything related to any patient in a hospital or clinic that you personally do not own. And don't access a patient chart unless you have legitimate medical reasons to do so. If you want to use, academically, something of your patient's, don't assume you can do it because it is not a HIPAA violation. Ask your administration for permission.
It is better to be safe than sorry.
One issue that stood out was HIPAA violations (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the modern digital era. Apparently, it wasn't just the doctor who treated Octomom that is in trouble-EIGHTEEN employees of the hospital where she delivered were fired as a result of improper access of her records. Even though, as it turned out, no information was fed to the media from these employees.
There was another case (I know, you can't believe that I actually read the pdf before answering the questions!) where a patient had a FB [foreign body] lodged up his rectum (you can imagine what the FB is) and multiple employees viewed the x-ray and some snapped cellphone pics of it and put it on their Facebook site. They too were fired.
There's two HIPAA issues here: Access and Distribution. Improper access of records is a violation. And in both situations this was violated by many employees. Distribution is not necessarily a HIPAA violation if no personal identifiers (see below) are used.
I just read this fascinating post, initiated by this question: "Are Doctors required to get patient permission to use unidentifiable x-rays, CTs, EKGs for medical education online?"
According to the article, the answer is...No.
This is based on the 18 indentifier criteria for Case Reports, to make them HIPAA compliant. They are listed in the above linked blog.
However, just because it isn't a HIPAA violation does not mean that it is not a fireable offense. I was discussing this issue with a Health Care Lawyer friend of mine who pointed out that the hospital owns all the records related to the patient. And even taking a cell phone picture is in violation of their intellectual property which can easily get you fired.
That may be your patient, but it is not your right to use that information, EVEN if you get permission from the patient to do so, or don't get permission but eliminate identifiers and have no HIPAA violation.
I would be very careful taking any images of anything related to any patient in a hospital or clinic that you personally do not own. And don't access a patient chart unless you have legitimate medical reasons to do so. If you want to use, academically, something of your patient's, don't assume you can do it because it is not a HIPAA violation. Ask your administration for permission.
It is better to be safe than sorry.
New Radio Show Today
My new radio show has another interview today, 5/12 at 9pm EST with Dr. Darren from "Married to Medicine" reality show on Bravo.
Dr. Darren is an Emergency Medicine Physician, and is married to entrepreneur (and fellow Emory grad) @LisaNicoleCloud
Hear all about what it is like to be a full time doctor on a reality TV show.
Listen here live or later at: http://tiny.cc/iegqfx
I'd love to hear from you and any comments about my shows. Contact me at IRBrennerMD at gmail
Dr. Darren is an Emergency Medicine Physician, and is married to entrepreneur (and fellow Emory grad) @LisaNicoleCloud
Hear all about what it is like to be a full time doctor on a reality TV show.
Listen here live or later at: http://tiny.cc/iegqfx
I'd love to hear from you and any comments about my shows. Contact me at IRBrennerMD at gmail
Thursday, May 1, 2014
My Own Radio Show!
Apparently, the response to my radio interviews have been very positive, and I have been asked to do my own show. I call it "Healthy World with Dr. B"
I recorded my first episode last night, and you can hear the hour-long show by clicking here: Radio Show with Donna Pinter. (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/
Donna Pinter is a visionary artist, world renown for her Neiman Marcus pottery line, ballerina and koi paintings, and now mosaic murals. She is also a Reiki Master and has an interesting perspective on this alternative form of healing that works with modern medicine, not in lieu of it.
Let me know what you think.
I recorded my first episode last night, and you can hear the hour-long show by clicking here: Radio Show with Donna Pinter. (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/
Donna Pinter is a visionary artist, world renown for her Neiman Marcus pottery line, ballerina and koi paintings, and now mosaic murals. She is also a Reiki Master and has an interesting perspective on this alternative form of healing that works with modern medicine, not in lieu of it.
Let me know what you think.
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