15 fired re: octomom

hopefulmom

I just saw the report of 15 hospital workers being fired because they looked at Octomom's records.  Ummm...I used to work at a hospital and everyone there had access (other than the custodial help) and we signed a confidentiality contract (we could be fired and sued if we gave out info).  They said they don't believe anything was released to the media from these 15 people.  I don't understand why they were fired.  I used to look at people's files all the time and it wasn't against hospital policy.  Wonder if any of these 15 will sue...I would...unless it was against hospital policy to look at patient records (which seems highly unlikely).  Has anyone heard anything more?

DaiLyght

I know nothing about this at all, but speaking in generalities, if those 15 people had nothing at all to do with her case and had no justifiable reason at all for looking at her records, then I can understand it. Confidentiality or not, if you have no business looking at personal information, then you shouldn't be doing it.

I have access to a lot of personal information, but I'm only supposed to look at what I need to in regards to performing my job. It should come as no surprise to me to be fired for snooping around in some place I didn't belong.

buffalo_buckeye

According to the new HIPPA you are only supposed to look at files of patients that are directly related to the care you are giving them. I used to look up stuff on people to (like to find out a coworkers age) but when HIPPA came out with all the new standards I stopped bc it is against the rules. We shouldn't even be looking at a patients results unless they directly affect what we are doing (say they are getting an TB test, you should not be looking at their placenta results).

jessicaclare

Hasn't HIPPA made things like this a lot more strict? If those people had nothing to do with her case, they shouldn't have been in her file. That's like saying its ok for you to go into your SIL's (BIL/Cousin/BF, whatever) records just because you have access even if you aren't involved in her case. I would guess that the hospital has policy that restricts access if you aren't involved with that particular patient.

hopefulmom

Hmmm...that is probably the case with HIPPA.  There was no such thing when I worked for the hospital.  I've worked in doctor's offices and since I was front desk I saw everything.  Wonder how they found out it was only these 15 people who peeked.

jessicaclare

In most systems (and this holds true for things like banking too), each user is assigned a unique login and the computer keeps records of where your login goes in the system and what you look at. It would be pretty easy to figure out from there who is involved in her case and who isn't.

irishrn

We are not supposed to look stuff up on other people that we are not caring for. It seems like we can get into trouble if we look stuff up on patients we have transferred out of the ICU to see how they are doing elsewhere in the hospital. I think a lot of hospitals are adopting these policies with HIPPA and all that. We can not even look up information about ourselves without getting into trouble. I have worked with some nurses' who got into trouble for looking up their own information. All I can say is that oct mom is trash and she messing with other people's lives. Its their own fault for looking it up, but she is such a low life and not worth it.

Sam-mommy to Brady 11/6/06 & #2 edd 4/1/09

camrude

The poster that mentioned the stricter HIPPA law is correct and healthcare systems are cracking down on this. MH is a doctor and he cannot even look at our DC's information on the hospital system until it's been sent to us as he's not their doctor.?

DandR

Good....even if those people didn't leak to the media, you know they went home and told friends or family or something...or all gossiped about it themselves at work.   its rude and its an invasion of privacy....period.  Does everyone who does this get fired? Probably not. Did it happen because its high profile? probably.  But its  ridiculous that it happened at all, and if I were a boss, i wouldn't want THOSE type of people working for me!  Its shows they are dishonest and not loyal...

AnneUCSB

Ditto the HIPPA stuff.  I am only able to look at the records of the patients I am caring for.  If they transfer out of the NICU, I am no longer justified in accessing their records.  Our system can tell who looks at what record, so if your name is attached the file and you never cared for that patient, that is a big no-no.

hopefulmom

Since at one time Octomom was what everyone was talking about...I'm sure there were MANY others looking over the shoulder of those 15 who happened to use their computers.  Like the one pp said she is trash and not worth it to loose a job over.  Obviously they were made examples of. 

jessicaclare

hopefulmom:

Since at one time Octomom was what everyone was talking about...I'm sure there were MANY others looking over the shoulder of those 15 who happened to use their computers.  Like the one pp said she is trash and not worth it to loose a job over.  Obviously they were made examples of. 

It doesn't really matter what patient is involved. If they knew the policy and they still did it, it was stupid on their part and they deserved to lose their jobs. I don't care how high profile the case is, its WRONG to snoop into someone else's personal information.