11-06-2012, 03:39 PM
cbelt3 wrote:
[quote=lafinfil]
So were these actions reported to the proper authorities ?
Both nurses explained that they would be arrested under the privacy laws for even contemplating reporting it. If it doesn't relate to patient care issues, they can't report it. And all they could tell their husbands was "One of my patients". No ability to name them. And of course I didn't ask.
HIPAA is a Catch-22 kind of law. I sometimes wonder how many medical mistakes happen because people are not allowed to discuss patient care.
I do not think that is correct. I worked in a hospital for 15 years and understand HIPPA rules. This is not patient care but a criminal act (fraud) This is like saying that if they saw a patient being robbed at gunpoint that the staff could not report it (unless of corse they were stealing medical devices that were in use)
The administration of this institution is full of shit if they tell the staff this. A good healthcare provider would report it to their immediate supervisor and tell them directly that they will also file a report to law enforcement. If they were fired they would have a hell of a case and the institution would face major repercussions. The hospital I worked at encouraged employees to report any and all suspicious activity to the house security and to let them sort it out.