Guest guest Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 BlankThe whole thing about locking bags is a joke because we all know if someone wants to get into the bag they can do so pretty easily no matter how many precautions you take. I looked the options over and decided to use a regular small soft-sided briefcase and and luggage padlock to lock the 2 zippers together. It is probably not " HIPAA compliant " but no one seems to care about the locks in any of my offices and no one is checking. I still have 2 offices that have not asked me to sign an agreement and one of them is a psychiatric office where patient confidentiality is of extreme importance. This whole HIPAA thing is only for show. My pesonal opinion is that no one is ever going to check at our level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 And, when you suggested it awhile ago, I did the same thing. I got an American Tourist computer bag and a combination lock. But I lost the lock at least 2 times. With my 3rd purchase of a lock, I resolved I will NOT buy another one. I have said all along, even with this locked bag, anyone can come up behind me and steal it but why would they? What on earth would they get out of it? I think you are 100% right. AT least if there is some kind of inspection (and I overheard at the symposium that major insurance companies are going to be doing some inspections when they come into the office to check insurance policies etc.) then we made an effort. That is all they can ask, if you ask me. But NO ONE IS ASKING ME. Aliceanne At 08:47 AM 5/19/2003 -0700, you wrote: >BlankThe whole thing about locking bags is a joke because we all know if >someone wants to get into the bag they can do so pretty easily no matter >how many precautions you take. I looked the options over and decided to >use a regular small soft-sided briefcase and and luggage padlock to lock >the 2 zippers together. It is probably not " HIPAA compliant " but no one >seems to care about the locks in any of my offices and no one is checking. >I still have 2 offices that have not asked me to sign an agreement and one >of them is a psychiatric office where patient confidentiality is of >extreme importance. This whole HIPAA thing is only for show. My pesonal >opinion is that no one is ever going to check at our level. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 We have had no problems losing the lock. I figured we would, but we still have the same lock. I was unable to find a simple type locking bag in the affordable range, which is why I came up with my own solution. I should take that bag. I found one in Staples, but they could not find the key in order to sell it to me! Re: HIPAA compliant bags > And, when you suggested it awhile ago, I did the same thing. I got an > American Tourist computer bag and a combination lock. But I lost the lock > at least 2 times. With my 3rd purchase of a lock, I resolved I will NOT buy > another one. > I have said all along, even with this locked bag, anyone can come up behind > me and steal it but why would they? What on earth would they get out of > it? I think you are 100% right. AT least if there is some kind of > inspection (and I overheard at the symposium that major insurance companies > are going to be doing some inspections when they come into the office to > check insurance policies etc.) then we made an effort. That is all they can > ask, if you ask me. But NO ONE IS ASKING ME. > > Aliceanne > At 08:47 AM 5/19/2003 -0700, you wrote: > >BlankThe whole thing about locking bags is a joke because we all know if > >someone wants to get into the bag they can do so pretty easily no matter > >how many precautions you take. I looked the options over and decided to > >use a regular small soft-sided briefcase and and luggage padlock to lock > >the 2 zippers together. It is probably not " HIPAA compliant " but no one > >seems to care about the locks in any of my offices and no one is checking. > >I still have 2 offices that have not asked me to sign an agreement and one > >of them is a psychiatric office where patient confidentiality is of > >extreme importance. This whole HIPAA thing is only for show. My pesonal > >opinion is that no one is ever going to check at our level. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 I must have miss-led you. You mentioned Staples and that is where I got the American Tourist computer bag for $19. on sale. Then I bought a combination lock. The bag did not come with a key. I did what you suggested. The loops became the locked item. Aliceanne At 09:17 AM 5/19/2003 -0700, you wrote: >We have had no problems losing the lock. I figured we would, but we still >have the same lock. I was unable to find a simple type locking bag in the >affordable range, which is why I came up with my own solution. I should take >that bag. I found one in Staples, but they could not find the key in order >to sell it to me! > Re: HIPAA compliant bags > > > > And, when you suggested it awhile ago, I did the same thing. I got an > > American Tourist computer bag and a combination lock. But I lost the lock > > at least 2 times. With my 3rd purchase of a lock, I resolved I will NOT >buy > > another one. > > I have said all along, even with this locked bag, anyone can come up >behind > > me and steal it but why would they? What on earth would they get out of > > it? I think you are 100% right. AT least if there is some kind of > > inspection (and I overheard at the symposium that major insurance >companies > > are going to be doing some inspections when they come into the office to > > check insurance policies etc.) then we made an effort. That is all they >can > > ask, if you ask me. But NO ONE IS ASKING ME. > > > > Aliceanne > > At 08:47 AM 5/19/2003 -0700, you wrote: > > >BlankThe whole thing about locking bags is a joke because we all know if > > >someone wants to get into the bag they can do so pretty easily no matter > > >how many precautions you take. I looked the options over and decided to > > >use a regular small soft-sided briefcase and and luggage padlock to lock > > >the 2 zippers together. It is probably not " HIPAA compliant " but no one > > >seems to care about the locks in any of my offices and no one is >checking. > > >I still have 2 offices that have not asked me to sign an agreement and >one > > >of them is a psychiatric office where patient confidentiality is of > > >extreme importance. This whole HIPAA thing is only for show. My pesonal > > >opinion is that no one is ever going to check at our level. > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 Can anyone get into this conversation? If so, I do have something to add. About a month ago, one of my students went to work in medical records at the local regional medical center, and the first assignment she had was to attend HIPAA classes. Naturally, she reported back. " Ms. Truitt, " she reported, " They're not telling us one thing that we didn't learn in Medical Legal Issues class except for the specific things the hospital is doing to comply. If they'd been doing it 'right' all along, they wouldn't need to get excited about HIPAA! " I think she's right. What might have been happening that was a violation of ethics before and a violation of HIPAA now? Perhaps stacking printed reports in a wire basket and leaving them visible on the seat of the car while delivering them--and while getting gas, parking to run an errand, and so on. Perhaps carrying the printouts and the tapes around without clearly marking which practice they belong to on the package. Perhaps delivering the wrong printouts to a practice, and delivering theirs to someone else. The solution? Put the printouts and tapes in manila envelopes, address them to the practice to which they belong, and put them in an opaque pouch of some sort for delivery. Your American Tourister computer bag should do the job nicely. Okay, it's a little bit of extra work and a small extra expense. What's privacy worth? Mine is worth a great deal, and certainly a manila envelope! Why the locks? Perhaps to prevent casual scrutiny, should you leave the bag in the wrong place accidentally. Or, should you be involved in an automobile accident while delivering reports and be transported from the scene, the lock would probably alert an official that the contents are important. Maybe to keep your mother-in-law from exclaiming, " Oh, you got a new American Tourister computer bag! <Zipppp!> What's all this paperwork in here? " or to keep your teenager from taking all that stuff out so he or she could " borrow " your bag. Honest and truly, I think the biggest issue with ethics and security falls with the electronic records, the processes used to move information around, and the computer networks that are currently in use. I have no less than four textbooks on HIPAA security on my desk. After reading whatever I could find on the topic and scanning those texts, I have reached the conclusion that adhering to basic ethical principles is the big issue for everyone EXCEPT the computer network people and the executives responsible for overseeing security. They do have additional issues. And now offices (maybe including yours) have the extra responsibility of proving to a regulatory agency that they are acting in an ethical manner and complying with the letter of the law. If you are protecting the integrity and security of patient records, then you are in compliance and should be found to be in compliance. You are delivering the reports in a locked bag, presumably in individually marked packets. Are you also making sure that only you have access to your records? Keeping disks that have transcripts on them locked up? Using a firewall with your computer? Password protecting computer files? Encrypting electronically transmitted documents? Shredding any extra paper copies? Think about all of the places that security has been casually violated in the past in medical offices and pharmacies. You can list dozens, I am sure, just as I can. Personally, I'm happy to see a glass partition go in at the pharmacy to keep the pharmacist from discussing my medical condition with the immediate world. I'm happy to see the sign-in sheet at the clinic replaced with a single sheet sign-in for each patient. I'm happy to see the signs that say, " One patient at a time at the desk please. " I might not have anything to hide, but then again, I don't want my medical condition to be gossip fodder and I don't want to get into conversations at the pharmacy about ailments I have in common with a complete stranger. At 12:11 PM 5/19/2003, you wrote: >And, when you suggested it awhile ago, I did the same thing. I got an >American Tourist computer bag and a combination lock. But I lost the lock >at least 2 times. With my 3rd purchase of a lock, I resolved I will NOT buy >another one. >I have said all along, even with this locked bag, anyone can come up behind >me and steal it but why would they? What on earth would they get out of >it? I think you are 100% right. AT least if there is some kind of >inspection (and I overheard at the symposium that major insurance companies >are going to be doing some inspections when they come into the office to >check insurance policies etc.) then we made an effort. That is all they can >ask, if you ask me. But NO ONE IS ASKING ME. > >Aliceanne >At 08:47 AM 5/19/2003 -0700, you wrote: > >BlankThe whole thing about locking bags is a joke because we all know if > >someone wants to get into the bag they can do so pretty easily no matter > >how many precautions you take. I looked the options over and decided to > >use a regular small soft-sided briefcase and and luggage padlock to lock > >the 2 zippers together. It is probably not " HIPAA compliant " but no one > >seems to care about the locks in any of my offices and no one is checking. > >I still have 2 offices that have not asked me to sign an agreement and one > >of them is a psychiatric office where patient confidentiality is of > >extreme importance. This whole HIPAA thing is only for show. My pesonal > >opinion is that no one is ever going to check at our level. > > Valeria D. Truitt Curriculum Coordinator and Lead Instructor Medical Office Administration Craven Community College 800 College Court New Bern, NC 28562 Phone: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 Yes to all. I shred, have passwords on my computer, etc. I use color-coded document folders for each doctor, labeled with the doctor's name and also my name. These all go in the bag and kept locked during transport. Once I have handed over the folder to the doctor's office, my responsibility ends. There are big signs in most of my offices that no one is allowed beyond a certain point unless accompanied by a nurse. Re: HIPAA compliant bags > Can anyone get into this conversation? If so, I do have something to add. > > About a month ago, one of my students went to work in medical records at > the local regional medical center, and the first assignment she had was to > attend HIPAA classes. Naturally, she reported back. " Ms. Truitt, " she > reported, " They're not telling us one thing that we didn't learn in Medical > Legal Issues class except for the specific things the hospital is doing to > comply. If they'd been doing it 'right' all along, they wouldn't need to > get excited about HIPAA! " I think she's right. > > What might have been happening that was a violation of ethics before and a > violation of HIPAA now? Perhaps stacking printed reports in a wire basket > and leaving them visible on the seat of the car while delivering them--and > while getting gas, parking to run an errand, and so on. Perhaps carrying > the printouts and the tapes around without clearly marking which practice > they belong to on the package. Perhaps delivering the wrong printouts to a > practice, and delivering theirs to someone else. The solution? Put the > printouts and tapes in manila envelopes, address them to the practice to > which they belong, and put them in an opaque pouch of some sort for > delivery. Your American Tourister computer bag should do the job > nicely. Okay, it's a little bit of extra work and a small extra > expense. What's privacy worth? Mine is worth a great deal, and certainly > a manila envelope! > > Why the locks? Perhaps to prevent casual scrutiny, should you leave the > bag in the wrong place accidentally. Or, should you be involved in an > automobile accident while delivering reports and be transported from the > scene, the lock would probably alert an official that the contents are > important. Maybe to keep your mother-in-law from exclaiming, " Oh, you got > a new American Tourister computer bag! <Zipppp!> What's all this paperwork > in here? " or to keep your teenager from taking all that stuff out so he or > she could " borrow " your bag. > > Honest and truly, I think the biggest issue with ethics and security falls > with the electronic records, the processes used to move information around, > and the computer networks that are currently in use. I have no less than > four textbooks on HIPAA security on my desk. After reading whatever I > could find on the topic and scanning those texts, I have reached the > conclusion that adhering to basic ethical principles is the big issue for > everyone EXCEPT the computer network people and the executives responsible > for overseeing security. They do have additional issues. > > And now offices (maybe including yours) have the extra responsibility of > proving to a regulatory agency that they are acting in an ethical manner > and complying with the letter of the law. If you are protecting the > integrity and security of patient records, then you are in compliance and > should be found to be in compliance. You are delivering the reports in a > locked bag, presumably in individually marked packets. Are you also making > sure that only you have access to your records? Keeping disks that have > transcripts on them locked up? Using a firewall with your > computer? Password protecting computer files? Encrypting electronically > transmitted documents? Shredding any extra paper copies? > > Think about all of the places that security has been casually violated in > the past in medical offices and pharmacies. You can list dozens, I am > sure, just as I can. Personally, I'm happy to see a glass partition go in > at the pharmacy to keep the pharmacist from discussing my medical condition > with the immediate world. I'm happy to see the sign-in sheet at the clinic > replaced with a single sheet sign-in for each patient. I'm happy to see > the signs that say, " One patient at a time at the desk please. " I might > not have anything to hide, but then again, I don't want my medical > condition to be gossip fodder and I don't want to get into conversations at > the pharmacy about ailments I have in common with a complete stranger. > > At 12:11 PM 5/19/2003, you wrote: > >And, when you suggested it awhile ago, I did the same thing. I got an > >American Tourist computer bag and a combination lock. But I lost the lock > >at least 2 times. With my 3rd purchase of a lock, I resolved I will NOT buy > >another one. > >I have said all along, even with this locked bag, anyone can come up behind > >me and steal it but why would they? What on earth would they get out of > >it? I think you are 100% right. AT least if there is some kind of > >inspection (and I overheard at the symposium that major insurance companies > >are going to be doing some inspections when they come into the office to > >check insurance policies etc.) then we made an effort. That is all they can > >ask, if you ask me. But NO ONE IS ASKING ME. > > > >Aliceanne > >At 08:47 AM 5/19/2003 -0700, you wrote: > > >BlankThe whole thing about locking bags is a joke because we all know if > > >someone wants to get into the bag they can do so pretty easily no matter > > >how many precautions you take. I looked the options over and decided to > > >use a regular small soft-sided briefcase and and luggage padlock to lock > > >the 2 zippers together. It is probably not " HIPAA compliant " but no one > > >seems to care about the locks in any of my offices and no one is checking. > > >I still have 2 offices that have not asked me to sign an agreement and one > > >of them is a psychiatric office where patient confidentiality is of > > >extreme importance. This whole HIPAA thing is only for show. My pesonal > > >opinion is that no one is ever going to check at our level. > > > > > Valeria D. Truitt > Curriculum Coordinator and Lead Instructor > Medical Office Administration > Craven Community College > 800 College Court > New Bern, NC 28562 > Phone: > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 I carry a locked bag when I pickup/drop off work. I also carry a 70 pound well trained dog (Hungarian Vizsla) in the car - HE is HIPAA compliant, would never disclose any client information, and would EAT anyone who fussed with me or the locked bag, keeping dog treats in side pocket of bag guarantees this <G> aloha, Pam & Peri, Hungarian HIPAA enforcer ----- Original Message ----- > I have said all along, even with this locked bag, anyone can come up behind > me and steal it but why would they? What on earth would they get out of > it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 Lol Pam!!! Debi Student Re: HIPAA compliant bags I carry a locked bag when I pickup/drop off work. I also carry a 70 pound well trained dog (Hungarian Vizsla) in the car - HE is HIPAA compliant, would never disclose any client information, and would EAT anyone who fussed with me or the locked bag, keeping dog treats in side pocket of bag guarantees this aloha, Pam & Peri, Hungarian HIPAA enforcer ----- Original Message ----- From: " Alice Sawyer " >I have said all along, even with this locked bag, anyone can come up behind > me and steal it but why would they? What on earth would they get out of > it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.