Misuse of protected information

You are the HIPAA Privacy Officer and receive a phone call from Khaleen at “The Hair Boutique” across town. Khaleen indicates that one of her clients, Aimee, just told her that the two patients admitted to your hospital yesterday were poisoned by the principal’s son, Orlando. Khaleen said that she heard about the school poisonings on the local news but wasn’t aware that Orlando was involved.

You check in Human Resources and learn that Aimee is a nursing student who is completing her clinical rotation at the hospital.

• Do you feel this scenario constitutes a HIPAA violation?
• If so, who committed the HIPAA violation?
• How should you follow up and what steps will you take as the HIPAA Privacy Officer at the end of this phone call?

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