Just curious if anyone else has had an issue with HIPPA. I recently asked a DO if I could shadow him for a day. He responded that while he had let premed types tag along in the past, he was seriously considering no longer allowing it due to liability issues. I have several other DOs who are willing to let me shadow them so I am not at a loss. This doctor speacilzed in immunology, something I am interested in, so I was slightly disappointed in his response. Anyone else find this to be a particular issue or think it will be in the future?
This is a good question. I was just speaking to someone I know who works in a doctors office and is familiar with the new HIPPA laws and from what they said, it sounded like it wouldn't be possible to shadow docs because of the liability.
Does anyone have any information regarding this?
Interesting question.
I don't know how it will work for pre-meds. This semester we go to the hospital to examine newborns, and to do that we had to watch a HIPPA video and sign a statement agreeing to the confidentiality requirements, and verifying we had seen the video. There may have to be something of that sort done— but I'm guessing that the process will be more difficult for pre-meds. For medical students it can be justified as a needed educational experience. It will be interesting to see how this evolves over time. I hope you can arrange an experience.
| QUOTE (NotThere @ May 13 2003, 05:58 PM) |
| Just curious if anyone else has had an issue with HIPPA. I recently asked a DO if I could shadow him for a day. He responded that while he had let premed types tag along in the past, he was seriously considering no longer allowing it due to liability issues. I have several other DOs who are willing to let me shadow them so I am not at a loss. This doctor speacilzed in immunology, something I am interested in, so I was slightly disappointed in his response. Anyone else find this to be a particular issue or think it will be in the future? |
Hi there,
There is no issues with HIPPA as long as you abide by the agreements that the physician sets forth. If you are shadowing a physician, his liscence takes the hit if you are stupid enough not to do what you are told or if you violate privacy issues. You are the one who would lose as any liscenced MD or DO can make plenty of trouble for you with your application to medical school. At UVa and the VA, all shadowing experiences are approved by the Chief of Staff and the Chief of Service. You are pretty well screened if there is a problem.
Natalie
It may be the best way to handle this would be through a formal shadowing program. At least if it was conducted through a university or hospital it would take some of the liability off the physicians.
I almost burst out laughing at the doctors office yesterday when I went for a physical. As soon as I finished filling out the covered sign in sheet the receptionist ripped it off the desk and promptly blackened my name out with a marker. Five minutes later the nurse opens the door and calls out my full name. How is that for privacy?
People are still learning how to handle the new regulations; be patient. At my doctor’s office there was a sign over the fax machine behind the receptionist’s desk that said, “Because of HIPPA regulations, any documents left on the fax machine at the end of the day will be shredded.” Someone had stuck a little post-it note on the sign that said, "Can’t you just put them in the individual people’s mailboxes?"
The hospice where I’ve started volunteering is part of Aurora Health Care (and the Visiting Nurses’ Association) and puts its volunteers through formal privacy training. I suspect we’ll have update training as the HIPPA-related policies settle into place.