Doctor-Patient Confidentiality?

[SanFranciscan]

Going to the doctor is always upsetting because we are so fearful of our illnesses. We are also fearful of the bills. A doctor's appointment this morning just pushed me over the limit, and I yelled at the receptionist in front of her co-workers and other patients. I am pretty respectful of waiters and nearly anyone else having to put up with me in the line of duty because they don't have to do it. They could be robbing my home instead. This morning was just too much.

I approached reception and grit my teeth while she was aggressive about money, even though I have been paying every month for what my insurance will not. Then she gets my insurance card and demands that I present another I.D. with this insurance card, even though I have been going there for a year now and would be recognized by medical personnel, which I was. Even though my driver's license number and Social Security number, which have nothing to do with health care, are already in my medical records, I tolerated this new indignity as well. That wasn't enough to shut her up. She then demanded that I permit her to take my picture with a camera already set up there on the counter. I just lost it at that point because I think that it is wrong that something as personal as our medical records are tied to national identity numbers with our having no choice in the matter, but now our pictures can be too!! This is an outrage.

I heard another patient being told that the law requires these photographs. What law? My dentist doesn't take the patients' pictures. My husband's general practitioner doesn't take the patients' pictures. I am not seeing an inmates' doctor in a jail. I am a working patient who pays for her insurance. What law requires doctors to take mug shots of their patients? Has this been been demanded of you in a doctor's office? I don't believe that the law requires this so I am going to be contacting my representatives. Remember your doctor is under no legal duty to treat you, not even his own diagnosis made with tests he pressured you into.

Whatever happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?!

 

[disbridemimi]

It is ok to disagree with the policy, but taking it out on the receptionist is not fair. I am certain she doesn't make the policy and she prob gets yelled at all day, which would explain her mood. She may in fact agree with you 100% about the policy, but she can't tell you that or she will have no job.

Don't shoot the messenger. She was just doing her job.

 

[princess momma]

I'm sorry you've had a rough day.

But I don't understand how putting your picture in your medical records violates HIPAA.

 

[DebbieB]

On my last visit to my doctor, the receptionist asked for photo ID and made a copy of my DL. I really didn't think much of it. They want to be sure the person they are treating is the person who has the insurance. Someone who doesn't have insurance could borrow your card and get treatment with it.

 

[minkydog]

Every time I go to the doctor, or take my kids, I have to show my insurance card and drivers license even though we are well known at every doctor we see. I've never taken that to be an invasion of privacy. I'm sure they do that to satisfy some insurance thing. I have had 2 doctors photograph me. I think that's because they put the picture in their database where they keep your records. That way when you call after hours and they need to pull up your file on their laptop, they can instantly put your name with your face.

I'm not sure why this would be a conflict of doctor-patient confidentiality though. It sounds like the receptionist was rude--she could have asked you for these things and given you an explanation, surely. But you came off pretty rude yourself. You owe her an apology for your part in this debacle. An apology and a pizza.

 

[golfgal]

The dr is just trying to protect YOU so someone doesn't steal your insurance card. I just can't imagine going through life thinking everyone is out to get me. If you don't like it, stop going to the dr, problem solved.

 

[C.Ann]

Unless this is something very, very new, I have never heard of it either.. I think my reaction would have been to ask them what would happen if you chose not to submit to having your photograph taken..

 

[dismom2]

I've never had to have my picture taken at any doctors office, and I probably wouldn't like it too much---but I'd let them. Most doctors I have been to do make a copy of my drivers license, though, as well as my insurance card.

I'm sure the receptionist doesn't make the rules, so she was just doing what she was told to do. If she was rude, she shouldn't have been. People who work with the public are going to have all kinds of people, but they should try to remain professional, and not make matters (or someone's mood) worse. There are receptionists (and all kinds of employee's) who are just rude and nasty even when nothing is wrong; they just have no people skills (and shouldn't work with the public). Those are the one's that really bother me.

 

[Just Jan]

I never thought of insurance. I thought photo was another way to make sure they are treating the correct person.

 

[luvmy3]

I really don't see how a photo of you violates any doctor patient confidentiality. Did you yell at the receptionist on your first visit when you had to give them your name?

 

[OceanAnnie]

It's new to me.

My insurance company doesn't have a picture of me on file. So they would have nothing to compare it to. I always thought the doctor's offices got a copy of my drivers license to match up the information provided: name, address, age. The picture isn't that large or great on my driver's license.

I wouldn't like the picture thing. I would want information about the law that was referred to and decline until I could look into it. Never heard of such a law.

 

[diz8297]

Sorry, but identity theft has now crossed into insurance. It's getting worse and worse and the office is just trying to protect you. Frankly, I feel for the poor receptionist who was just doing his/her job. Front line workers in healthcare deal with a lot of grief.

 

[HeatherH]

I've had pictures taken at doctor's offices. It's to prevent insurance fraud. It's not a big deal. It's to protect YOU from identity theft and fraud.

I'm sorry you're having issues but the receptionist was no doubt just following the policy for that office. Did yelling at her make you feel better?

 

[Crystal0608]

My dentist has polaroids of all patients. Mine is about 10 years old, but I think they use it to recognize you when you come in b/c mine greet me by name when I enter the door though I only visit twice a year. I'm sorry you are having a bad day.

 

[Just Jan]

Not to be rude, but if the receptionist also books tests and gets prior authorizations through your insurance for the tests she knows why you were seen.

 

[PaddingtonBear]

I haven't heard of the supposed photograph requirement law - which sounds like you misunderstood, frankly. I do see the logic, though. Matching a face to an identity prevents it from being stolen. I am in healthcare IT support and hear horror stories about people stealing patients identities and then drug seeking for committing insurance fraud.

I'm fairly certain that this receptionist would have an entirely different account of the incident though, which might go something like: This paranoid patient came in today and when I asked her about her payment options- which the Doctor has now instructed the front desk staff to do due to all the recent failure to pays- she ranted at me rather than answered the question, so I had to press a little and she really got angry. I then followed our new policy that our physician association recommended and asked that I can take a pic of the patient for the file. She hit the roof. I'm not planning to post it on facebook, just include it in her file, but nothing I could say reassured her. She also yelled at me about her social security number, which is required by her insurance company for billing and identity verification, like I could do anything about it. She finished the conversation by demanding to know what happend to doctor patient confidentaility even though we had never even discussed anything regarding her patient health information and hadn't failed to comply with HIPPA at any point.

Seriously, this receptionist, her boss and even your physician are not responsible for any of the issues you are unhappy with. You're barking up the wrong tree, and being senselessly rude to a hapless person just trying to do her job will get you no sympathy with me.

 

[manning]

It seems it may have been poorly handled. It should be explained to you why it is being done, both verbally and orally. To just proceed to do it without explaining will put anyone on the defensive.

 

[debbi801]

This has nothing to do with new HIPAA regulations. It has to do with new FTC regulations to prevent identity theft. The new Red Flag Identity Theft Rule policies are vague as far as who it covers. Here is a little info:

http://philosecurity.org/2009/05/28/doctors-require-photo-id-for-treatment

 

[laurie31]

I wish my doctor had this policy - it might help prevent medical errors.

When I was pregnant with DD#2, I arrived for one of my monthly prenatal visits, and proceeded to get reemed out by the receptionist for being late. (okay, that's a topic for another thread. It would have been inappropriate even if I had been the person she thought I was). Turns out there was another person with my name who had missed a two hour appointment and messed up their whole day's schedule. But it wasn't ME!!

At the hospital where I work, we now put the patient's picture on the ID bracelet. It's just one more way of making sure no one amputates the wrong person's leg or gives someone a med meant for the patient in the next bed. No one's violating anyone's privacy; we don't even store those pics anywhere, they just print out on the armband. Next time you get admitted, you get a new pic.

 

[Disneylover79]

I have had this done....they do it so they are sure you are the right patient...it is not a law (that I have heard of)..when they took my picture I asked them why and they did it for my protection.....