Posted on 09/16/2004 10:18:33 AM PDT by LurkedLongEnough
NEW YORK (HIPAA Wire) Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center suspended 17 workers Sept. 10 for trying to snoop into Bill Clinton's medical files, the Daily News reported.
A doctor, several supervisors and a lab technician were among those disciplined for attempting to violate Clinton's privacy, said Jennifer Cunningham, executive VP of Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union. Twelve of those suspended belong to the union. Cunningham called the incident "highly regrettable and unprofessional."
The workers were caught after they tried to sneak into Clinton's file using their computer passwords. However, hospital spokesperson Myrna Manners confirmed that no employees have been fired.
Lesson Learned: Without strong policies on authentication and passwords, the medical center's staff could have easily invaded Clinton's privacy. Make sure you set up a system that will alert you to possible rule breakers in your organization before snooping turns into a privacy rule violation.
Naughty Naughty,where I work they would have been fired not suspended.
It was lots easier to snoop before everything was computerized, IMHO.
we were told that a "famous" athlete was coming into our clinic one day and that we werent supposed to talk to him and definatly not to ask for autographs. so the day past and we found out who it was and it was someone nobody had heard of. it was a hockey player that had only played one pro season. the boss made it sound like Gretsky or someone was coming.
To get in the system we have to use our initials and password.Thats why we are advised to log out when we are done so that no one else can look at info at our expense.
In law enforcement, everyone has to sign on to the data bases with their own name and login ID, and as you said, you sign out so nobody can use your ID and leave an erroneous trail. These employees at Clinton's hospital obviously didn't realize that the system is no doubt set up to flag anybody trying to access certain records, and if they don't have a need or right to know, big trouble.
Oh I think they knew. All health employees attended compliance training and signed off that they understood the new Hippa law and the ramifications if they broke it last year. I still don't understand why they were only suspended. Maybe they were unable to access his account at all due to restrictions and were only punished for trying.
Oh I think they knew. All health employees attended compliance training and signed off that they understood the new Hippa law and the ramifications if they broke it last year. I still don't understand why they were only suspended. Maybe they were unable to access his account at all due to restrictions and were only punished for trying.
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