Doctor-Patient Confidentiality?

[brittsmum1998]

We've had to have pictures of our drivers licenses taken at dr's office also. It is to prevent insurance fraud according to the receptionist.

 

[KristaTX]

If she was rude, then I'd be mad. I've encountered plenty of rude employees at doctor's offices and other places. Including unlikable doctors. Or if they didn't allow you to discuss your financial situation in privacy away from other patients, then that does possibly break HIPAA rules. But having your picture taken does nothing but protect you. I wouldn't be mad about that.

Did you see the doctor after this encounter with the receptionist? If so, did you say anything to him/her? I work in a private practice, and I always encourage patients to address such issues (employee interaction, wait times, other frustrations, good things, etc.) with the doctors during their visit as that is the only way things will change. I don't make up excuses for any of the employees, including the doctors. But I feel like when the doctor walks into the room, suddenly most patients are too afraid to bring up anything negative .

 

[luvthatdisney]

Having worked in medical insurance for many years, I can tell you that insurance fraud has been going on for years and years. It is very common for someone to use or steal someone elses insurance card and use it. We all now know how many people in this country that do not have health insurance. The pictures are a way physicians can help eliminate some of the fraud. If someone else came in and used your card, the physician could alert authorities.

It is for your protection, but I do agree that it seems the government is encroaching on our privacy at every turn. Always have to take the good with the bad, I guess

 

[Abbie]

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.

I get the feeling this is probably a lot more accurate. I kept seeing references to the "rude" receptionist so I had to reread to see what I missed the first time. I didn't see any rudeness other than on the part of the patient who says the receptionist "demanded" this and "demanded" that and even that "didn't shut her up". It sounds like there probably would have been nothing this poor receptionist could have done to please the patient.

If she was indeed rude about it, that is another issue and one that should be addressed with the provider. Taking pictures of patients is not a law and neither is the photocopying of licenses, but as previous posters have said, it is for your protection. And as far as the original question re:doctor/pt confidentiality, it was not breached from this account so I'm not sure why it was in question.

 

[minniecarousel]

I just saw a sign at the lab today, stating that as of 11/01/09, they would be asking for 2 forms of ID, one with a picture. At my Mom's cardiology office (where she's been a patient for over 8 years) they recently asked to copy her DL. Since she only has a State-issued ID, they took a copy of that. There may be a new law taking effect here in California. I haven't researched it, but that may be the case.

In any case, sorry you got hassled. I think if they would explain things better (why they do what they do) they'd get more cooperation from patients.

 

[CowboyCO]

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..

The reason, if I am not mistaken is so that they can attach a picture of the patient with the patient records to provide a better quality of care. You become a person with a name, rather than just a name and a number.

Imagine if you had short meetings with dozens of people a day and you took copious noted of those meetings. Then weeks later, one of those people calls you and asks you about the meeting. Just referring to the notes, you may not remember the person, or for that matter, anything else from the meeting that wasn't in the notes. With a picture, they can remember much, much more. There is no invasion of privacy. And is covered under HIPPA.

As for asking for ID, I've been going to the same small office for 7 years and I still have to show my ID and insurance card every time I come in. It is their duty to insure no one is masquerading as you in order to illegally obtain prescriptions or to double dip on insurance.

 

[allison443]

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.

What an odd way to phrase something......if they weren't working as waiters or other customer service personnel they would be criminals?

 

[allison443]

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?!

So besides yelling at the receptionist who was just following the office policy, what else did you do? Did you do anything constructive like speak to the office manager, ask your doctor about it or anything else? Did you stay for your appointment? Did you have your picture taken-you didn't say in your post.

To call being asked for an additional id in addition to your insurance card an "indignity" is an overreaction, imo. You were already indignant about that so that's why you blew up when the receptionist told you about the photo. Total overreaction imo.
I suggest you find a new doctor to go to.

 

[robinb]

I would be honked off too. AFAIC they don't need my photo to treat me. If the insurance companies are taking photos or scanning driver's licenses, don't kid yourself ... it's NOT to protect the patients. It's to protect the insurance company pure and simple.

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

Maybe the receptionist was having a bad day because her job was to deal with the customer in a way that leaves the customer feeling good about the interaction. That did not happen in this case.

That said - I haven't been to the dr for 2 months but I have never been asked for my id either at my GP or at my specialist. Maybe it is something in place in larger cities.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I wish they had done that at the eye doctor's in Kirksville! There were two of us with the same name. I remember very clearly being given the information sheet I had written the time before to make sure it was accurate. There were tings I didn't remember putting down, and I became suspicous when it had smoking checked off as I have never smoked. I took a lok at the sheet again, and it was another person with my same first and last name (and middle initial) who lived one town over. I now know a lot about her family history, plus, I marked all over her form without realizing it wasn't mine.

 

[mickyzzzzz05]

They do ask for my date of birth and have me verify my address orally. I assume that is to prevent mistaken identities.

 

[MiniGirl]

Yep, I had to have a picture taken last month when I went to the doc. They needed a photo on file. I had left my wallet in my car, and so I just took the picture. Identity theft and fraud are the reasons. It also protects you and the insurance companies, but also the doctor's office should the insurance company ask for proof of the person treated.

I'm sorry you feel you were mistreated, but you were rude.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't remember where, but I recently did have to show ID for something like that. Seems to be a new thing.

The picture of you, however, could just be their own interpretation...gosh knows DS's dentist has an interesting idea of what the privacy laws mean. It's bad enough that most healthcare people have the patients sign the form about privacy, when really, the office staff should sign the form and give it to us (since THEY are the ones who have to keep their mouths closed). But this dentist, who will be sent a letter when DS decides he doesn't need this guy anymore but for now DS loves him, somehow thinks that the privacy laws govern the parents of his patients. Since they continue to come out to the busy lobby to discuss the condition of the kids, with names, in front of everyone else...they have a policy that the parents aren't allowed to have cellphones on. Because someone on the other end of the "line" might hear something confidential. I think that perhaps it might be better to carve out a teensy room where they can have that convo instead.

Are cellphone calls always necessary? Maybe not. But when my husband was taking DS there (because DS is far more brave with hubby instead of me, and the dentist was happy that we'd figured that out), since I'm the healthcare goddess in my house, DH did, in fact, need to have quick conversations with me. But because it wasn't allowed (and DS was 2 when he started going there...hubby wasn't going to leave DS while he ran outside), he made some on the fly decisions that weren't OK in our household, which was a problem. Very annoying.


So the point of that long story was...different practitioners get some crazy ideas of what the laws mean...and this might be a case.


As for being rude..."while she was aggressive about money, even though I have been paying every month". Seriously not cool of her since you are making those payments. My mom would have lost it about that, too. Especially after an appt where you've likely been poked and prodded and who knows what...just not the best time to have that conversation (before the appt would be better).

 

[kilee]

So, presenting valid photo ID and then having a photo taken are going to become common place over the next few years when seeking medical treatment.

This is actually being recommended more and more. It is actually due to health insurance fraud. So, your medical office was covering themselves and you. More and more people are "sharing" insurance cards to seek coverage.

I actually just attended a seminar this summer on this, and it was strongly suggested that we require patients to present w/ photo ID for all visits OR to have a photo taken of each patient. This office sounds like they are just really being thorough.

 

[coolbeans]

I know that both my kids had their pics taken at their dentist when they were little and stapled to the inside front of the files. little kids don't have id and what's to prevent me from taking my niece and saying she is my daughter to have her teeth cleaned.. other than my halo of course.. i think it's a great idea!! if someone comes in and claims to be me for a check up and is sweet enuf they could claim to have forgotten their drivers lisc, ss card, anything is possible these days.

 

[wdwmom2]

So, presenting valid photo ID and then having a photo taken are going to become common place over the next few years when seeking medical treatment.

This is actually being recommended more and more. It is actually due to health insurance fraud. So, your medical office was covering themselves and you. More and more people are "sharing" insurance cards to seek coverage.

I actually just attended a seminar this summer on this, and it was strongly suggested that we require patients to present w/ photo ID for all visits OR to have a photo taken of each patient. This office sounds like they are just really being thorough.

Exactly!!!

It is a new law that is in effect. Our office manager spoke to us the other day about this. Not sure of the name of the law, or exactly what is required to comply with it, but this was the best example I found that will explain it to those who do not know about it. http://www.albemarlehealth.org/pdfs/IDFlier.pdf

 

[pyrxtc]

I woulnd't like it either. I would tell them no. It is not law. My DR's don't have a copy of my license or even my SS#. I don't fill that out on school forms either. It is not something required by law so I feel free to leave it off.

 

[mjkacmom]

My dentist takes our pictures, and I would assume other doctors would start doing this as well (even Costco has my picture). Why give someone a hard time because she's doing her job? Do you think she decided to start doing this herself?

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Doctors will not see you now without a valid photo id. It is a new law that has gone into effect over the last couple of months. Insurance fraud is so big now that they are trying to stop that. I think you overreacted and were cranky when you went in there to begin with based on your post.
You are nice to waiters and such because they could be out robbing your house instead? I think you were looking for a fight and found a way to have one. You could have asked her nicely why they needed to take a photo.