Patient privacy applies to co-workers, too

You learn that a co-worker is in an Asante hospital, and you want to surprise her by stopping by with flowers and a card to wish her well.

Is that OK? According to Asante Compliance, no.

“Your first obligation is to respect and protect patient privacy, including a co-worker’s,” said Andrea TenBrink, Asante’s privacy officer and director of Compliance. “If you were the patient, you’d expect the same courtesy and not want co-workers inappropriately accessing your medical record and protected health information or discussing your medical situation and care.”

Privacy laws hold that we must treat our colleagues with the same confidentiality that governs all Asante patients. Any breach of this law, including unauthorized access to a patient’s medical records, may result in termination, according to Asante’s zero-tolerance policy.

To respect and protect a co-worker’s privacy, Compliance suggests the following guidelines:

If you are directly involved in a co-worker’s treatment or care:

• Access protected health information, or PHI, related only to the reason you are involved in the co-worker’s care.
• Share PHI only with the treatment team and, if the patient has given permission, with the patient’s family and friends.
• Do not share the information, including that the co-worker is a patient, with your family, friends or other co-workers.

If you are not directly involved in the co-worker’s treatment or care:

• Keep to yourself any knowledge that the co-worker is an Asante patient.
• Do not share any information (e.g., room location, diagnosis) with others, including your family, friends and co-workers.
• Do not access or look at the co-worker’s medical record or PHI, even out of concern.
• Do not visit the co-worker unless he or she specifically requests you to visit.
• Do not ask those involved in the co-worker’s care for information.

To further protect patient privacy, Asante uses FairWarning, a software system that allows Asante to actively audit for inappropriate access, including access to a co-worker’s record.

For questions, comments or concerns, email the Asante Privacy Program.