Has my Dr. been unethical in discussing my previous health condition with a mutual aquaintance?

Question:

My chiropractor has been treating me for a back injury for a year. He now states that he can no longer treat me using this injury as a basis for his treatment. He states I still need monthly adjustments, but the problem can't still be from the injury. He stated that a mutual friend of ours had told him a year prior to my first seeing him that I was having some trouble and expressed their concern that I needed to see a chiropractor at the time. Other that normal aches and pains I have never had any trouble. I am upset that he has discussed/or listened to another discuss my problem and taken that information as fact. My mobility and ability to function has been greatly reduced due to the injury a year ago. I am still unable to resume the normal activities I was accustomed to. This issue is one of a work injury, I am not looking to profit in any way.I work everyday, but continue to have to medicate for pain. I just want to be able to do my housework and mow the grass.

Answers:
HIPPA violation

Other Answers:
broken patient doctor confidentiality

Chiropractors are not doctors so they don't take an oath.

ABSOLUTELY! A violation of doctor/patient confidentiality and HIPPA!

No, your doctor shouldn't be discussing your health with anybody but you because that's confidential information! I would get a new chiropractor that will really take care of you without telling other people about it.
Source(s):
learned something about patient rights while becoming a CNA

Totally unethical! He can't discuss anything even with another Doctor without your written consent.

And hon, you may be doing more damage forcing yourself to do normal activities. Take it easy :)

Ummmm. YES! It is a violation of FEDERAL LAW (aka HIPAA) for ANY medical pratitioner or staff of a medical facility (lab worker, receptionist, insurance company rep, doctor, etc.) to discuss ANYONE's medical issues with anyone but the patient, unless they have prior written consent from the patient. It's punishable by up to a $1million fine and/or prison time.
I don't know who exactly you report them to - start with your county's Medical Society - they're in the phone book, and they can direct you the HIPAA police.
Good luck!!
Source(s):
I'm a medical biller.

it depends did he discuss or just listen to this person? and if this happened (a year before you were his client) he didnt even know u then right? in that case was he just giving advice to this person on someone he didnt know? need more info

HIPPA Violation-that's a big time no-no. Sueable.

It's a HIPPA violation for him to discuss you as a patient, but not to listen

Your doctor cannot give out any information, but theres nothing wrong with him being told information. Nothing unethical there.

As for your back, you may have had a pre-existing condition that was aggrevated by the injury. Not sure how your doctor could posibly have ruled that out. I would insist to youd doctor that you have not returned to your pre-accident state. Or maybe its time to get a second opinion.

HIPPA! They can not talk to people about your problems, sounds like you have a case. Even if the other person told your Doc. he still can't even take that into consideration. He needs to talk to you about it. This is a private matter and it is no diff.than if you were a patient in a hospital.he can't just take someones word for it.

Well you said that the mutual friend brought up da subject with him..and if it was a year prior to you seing him in da first place i dont see how he broke patient confidentially..nehoo if i got dat wroong.ya he was def unethical nd cud get in2 sum serious trouble for breaking code

If he only heard from an acquaintance and never spoke, I believe he did not break and confidentiality laws. However that is unprofessional of him. I would let the chiropractor no your upset and your reservations about continuing to see him. If you are still not recovered from your injury I wonder why he is requesting a different basis for treatment and suggesting monthly treatments at the same time. I would seek out a different chiropractor. I can't pinpoint what he could be doing requesting different basis for treatment but it seems VERY fishy/ Best of Luck

He broke the doctor code of ethic and compliance due to HIPPA laws. I work in a hospital and HIPPA is coming down hard! I am guessing there was a lawsuit due to some info being spread that shouldn't have been. Anymore even if a husband or a wife calls in for information we are not allowed to give any information what so ever. All we can do is say if someone is in the hospital or not. End of story. When your doctor decided to "talk" with someone else about your condition he broke the HIPPA number one rule! If you really wanted to do something about it you could file a complaint against him. It was unethical and unprofessional.

Sounds like a bit of a "race condition". That is, your common friend approached your chiropractor, not vice versa - according to your statement. However, even more important is it appears you were not a patient on record yet? If not, then it appears no wrong was done since he/she did not know you yet. If, however, you were an existing patient of record, then he/she should have limited the discussion with your common friend.

Yes, that's a violation of privacy which comes under the H.I.P.P.A. regulation.

Given that you state that the discussion between your chiropractor and your mutual aquaintance took place a year before your first meeting with the chiropractor then no, the discussion could not be considered unethical as, at the time of the discussion you were not a patient of the chiropractor and had not even sustained the back injury for which you have been receiving treatment. (Unless of course your chiropractor os psychic).

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Has my Dr. been unethical in discussing my previous health condition with a mutual aquaintance?

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