Mother-In-Law overstepping her boundaries...

[WicketsMom]

My mother-in-law is an LPN that works at a walk-in health clinic in a different city (same state) as we live in. She was down visiting last weekend while her power was out due to the tornados that came through our area. On the way home from dinner Friday night, she told my DS (age 4) that she had pulled up his immunization records online recently to look at them. I was livid! I told her that it was illegal and unethical for her to pull them up for someone that was not her patient. She does not think she did anything wrong. My husband agrees with me that she shouldn't have looked, but refuses to say anything else to her (other than what I already did).

I am so tempted to report her, but don't want to start WWIII. I am contacting my child's pediatrician to see exactly what records are available online and if there is a way to block certain providers from accessing them. He is quite healthy, but it is none of her business to be snooping around in our business behind our backs!

 

[Deb in IA]

She is not his parent or legal guardian and what she did was a HIPAA violation.

How did she get access to his record? Don't you need a password to access it?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I'm confused. How would she have access to that? Why would immunizations be available online (expect maybe through a school district)?

 

[tink1978]

walk in health clinic or health department? I am not sure how she would have had access to his records online.

 

[ccgirl]

I work in healthcare IT and it is most certainly a violation of HIPPA to access records of patients you do not have the need to know. For example, not a patient of yours. Usually this is grounds for immediate termination. Is your MiL an employee of a clinic that uses the same "parent" IT program as your child's doctor? For example, a lot of clinics piggyback off a hospital for their IT needs. In any event, someone from one clinic should not see the patients from another clinic. There are usually very strong security procedures in place. Doesn't sound like there is here. I most certainly would tell my MiL how inappropriate it is. You can have an audit of your son's medical records online to see who has accessed, when, and for what reason. I would be beyond LIVID!

 

[NewCrew42]

My guess would be that she has access to the Health Department database and that is how she accessed them.

 

[ccgirl]

I'm confused. How would she have access to that? Why would immunizations be available online (expect maybe through a school district)?

You would be surprised how much is online.

 

[daisax]

We're not even allowed to look up our OWN medical records.

 

[NewCrew42]

My mother-in-law is an LPN that works at a walk-in health clinic in a different city (same state) as we live in. She was down visiting last weekend while her power was out due to the tornados that came through our area. On the way home from dinner Friday night, she told my DS (age 4) that she had pulled up his immunization records online recently to look at them. I was livid! I told her that it was illegal and unethical for her to pull them up for someone that was not her patient. She does not think she did anything wrong. My husband agrees with me that she shouldn't have looked, but refuses to say anything else to her (other than what I already did).

I am so tempted to report her, but don't want to start WWIII. I am contacting my child's pediatrician to see exactly what records are available online and if there is a way to block certain providers from accessing them. He is quite healthy, but it is none of her business to be snooping around in our business behind our backs!

While I would not want my MIL to be looking up my child's records, I would not report her. Your report could cause her to lose her job as well as her license.

 

[ols386]

While I would not want my MIL to be looking up my child's records, I would not report her. Your report could cause her to lose her job as well as her license.

I agree.

If it was someone other than a close family member, I would probably report it.

But, op, you are right that if you report it, it will most likely be the start of WW III. As long as your MIL NOW knows that you do not want her doing something like that in the future, I'd let it go.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I work in healthcare IT and it is most certainly a violation of HIPPA to access records of patients you do not have the need to know. For example, not a patient of yours.

If a clinic uses a patient information system and database that is also used by other clinics or a parent hospital, shouldn't there be security in place to prevent a user to access information for patients they are not currently treating? If not, that is a flaw in the software or a flaw in the health network's implementation of the software.

 

[DisneyScraps]

Why didn't she just ask you? That seems a lot easier than to take a risk because she should lose her license for that. If she did it to your son it shows that she does not respect that privacy so who knows who else she is abusing by looking at their information.

I know you don't want to start WWII but she should be reported.

 

[princesshannahsmom]

I agree.

If it was someone other than a close family member, I would probably report it.

But, op, you are right that if you report it, it will most likely be the start of WW III. As long as your MIL NOW knows that you do not want her doing something like that in the future, I'd let it go.

I agree, I don't think reporting her is the right answer. Although I agree that she WAY overstepped her bounds, doing that would open up a can of worms that will likely never get closed again.

I do however, feel that your DH should give her a VERY stern talking to. Maybe he could explain to her that had this not been a close family member, she risked losing her job and maybe even her license by doing what she did. She needs to REALLY understand the wrongs of what she did.

 

[MusiqChic99]

I'd ask your husband to tell her that it upsets both of you that she did it and that you hope she would use better judgement in the future and not do that.

It will probably cause a WWIII but not as bad as if you were to report her.

 

[LuvOrlando]

At least you now know what you are dealing with, MIL is both unethical and invasive. Since no-one seems to have asked yet, in what way did this come up? I'm having a hard time grasping the scope of the conversation, it's so odd.

BTW, I wouldn't report her, she's just some nosey creeper to you but to your DH she's Mom and to your child she's Grandma.

 

[WicketsMom]

Why didn't she just ask you? That seems a lot easier than to take a risk because she should lose her license for that. If she did it to your son it shows that she does not respect that privacy so who knows who else she is abusing by looking at their information.

I know you don't want to start WWII but she should be reported.

I don't know why she wanted to know. It's not like there is a question as to whether he is current or not because he is enrolled in preschool and therefore it is required (and I would have it current even if it wasn't).

She doesn't ask me anything. When she comes to our house she barges in and takes over like she owns the place. Drives me crazy, but her visits are becoming less frequent and usually just overnight so I'm learning to suck it up while she's here. I'm just glad she doesn't live closer!

As much as I would love to report her to put her in her place, it would cause more problems than it will solve. If she loses her job I'm not sure where she would live so it's not worth that risk. I am getting in touch with my child's pediatrician to alert them and see what I can find out and/or block from that end. She wasn't the least bit remorseful and thought I was out of line for getting angry with her.

 

[goofyernmost]

Ask yourself if the punishment would be equal to the crime. If she was looking at random records of strangers, that's one thing but if she is your MIL then technically she is a blood relative. Most people with family in the health care field welcome the inside information that is sometimes available.

What you did in expressing your upset over the situation is more than sufficient punishment for the "crime". It really isn't worth starting WWIII over. Really! I would even consider it mean spirited and far worse then what she did. Just a thought.

 

[lillygator]

While I would not want my MIL to be looking up my child's records, I would not report her. Your report could cause her to lose her job as well as her license.

I am not sure I wouldn't....if she is looking up your sons, she is looking you up as well as DH and probably all her neighbors.

 

[daisax]

Ask yourself if the punishment would be equal to the crime. If she was looking at random records of strangers, that's one thing but if she is your MIL then technically she is a blood relative.

I agree with the other poster who said she's not limiting herself to the children. That's just what she'd ADMIT to.

 

[mrsdon]

Ok,I am at the opposite end of the spectrum.
I would not be angry. She is the grandma and I wouls think she was just concerned and wanted to make sure we were up to date.
But then again I dont know her,