How Do I Handle…
…Another member of the workforce inquiring into a patient's condition or treatment?
- Determine if it is necessary to their position
- Is it related to treatment?
You may encounter a situation where another member of the workforce asks you about
a patient's condition or treatment.
Can you disclose the confidential information?
First, consider the reason--are they part of the professional team treating the individual or providing advice or consultation? If yes, they may have access to all PHI. Are they a billing clerk asking for information to do their job? If yes, you can disclose information needed for their job.
If the information is not needed for the person to do their job or for treatment purposes, the confidential information should not be disclosed to them without a compelling reason.