[Travis T. OJustice]

"They accessed my father's medical records to find out his next appointment to try and find me," she said. "I think that is a (federal health privacy law) violation. Medical records are private," she said. "They should not have used a veteran's medical records to find me. ... My dad was upset. He could not believe it." If an unauthorized person (anyone not specifically authorized by the patient) accessed his medical records that person should spend a nice long vacation at a Federal Pen. The laws are very specific for those kind of violations.

How does she know they accessed his medical records to find out when the next visit was? I agree, if they did, that's pretty sleazy, however they could have accessed the hospitals appointment book, which is not part of anybody's medical records, therefore no violation.

[Straight Vermonter]

Not so. The very fact that you are even a patient is protected under HIPAA.

[LeGrande]

How does she know they accessed his medical records to find out when the next visit was? I agree, if they did, that's pretty sleazy, however they could have accessed the hospitals appointment book, which is not part of anybody's medical records, therefore no violation.

Hmm, I think that I could make a pretty good case that an appointment book is a health record. If you have an appointment to visit an AIDS specialist and I were to access that record I think that I would be in violation of the HIPAA Laws.

[Red Boots]

How does she know they accessed his medical records to find out when the next visit was? I agree, if they did, that's pretty sleazy, however they could have accessed the hospitals appointment book, which is not part of anybody's medical records, therefore no violation.

I think they are, beacuse we had a friend who needed us to take her to a dr's appt. When I called to make sure that the time/place were correct ( she's sometimes a little confused) they would not tell me, due to HIPPA.

Same friend, had an emergency operation, and afterward was released to a rest home for recovery. We heard about it at church, and called one she had been at before to see if she was there so we could visit her. They would not tell us whether or nor she was there, due to HIPPA.

It covers ALL aspects of a patient's records.