Can health care providers engage in confidential conversations with other providers or with patients/clients, even if there is a possibility that they could be overheard?
Yes. The HIPAA Privacy Rule is not intended to prohibit providers from talking to each other and to their patients/clients. The Privacy Rule recognizes that oral communications often must occur freely and quickly in treatment settings. Covered entities are free to engage in communications as required for quick, effective, and high quality health care. The Privacy Rule also recognizes that overheard communications in these settings may be unavoidable and allows for these incidental disclosures. For example, the following practices are permissible under the Privacy Rule, if reasonable precautions are taken to minimize the chance of incidental disclosures to others who may be nearby: • Health care staff may orally coordinate services at hospital nursing stations. • Nurses or other health care professionals may discuss a patient’s condition over the phone with the patient/client, a provider or a family member. • A health care professional may discuss lab test results with a patient or othe
Related Questions
- If healthcare providers engage in confidential conversations with other providers or with patients, have they violated the rule if there is a possibility that they could be overheard?
- Can health care providers engage in confidential conversations with other providers or with patients, even if there is a possibility that they could be overheard?
- Can health care providers have confidential conversations, even if they might be overheard?
