How would you handle your parent sending you confidential patient information?

I would research how to have your identity protected by the HIPAA people, but I would definitely report this, one way or another. Their lack of discretion is nothing less than criminal, and if they are this indiscreet with you, they may well be the same with others.

And how awful that they put you in this position.

ETA I was raised by a narcissist who told me other people’s secrets and confidences, even though I asked her not to, repeatedly. It caused me trouble more than once, knowing things I should not, but it was never criminal. That may be why I can answer this so quickly and absolutely. Yes, I understand the dilemma caused by familial ties, but this is beyond reprehensible.

Relax. Don’t report your mother. Don’t tell this little story again. People might think you to be a fool and/or petty, or vindictive, or many things. I repeat. Don’t tell this little story again.

Violation of these HIPAA rules can compromise someone’s employability and insurability (just to name a couple of problems), so, although @SnipSnip seems adamant about supporting criminal and potentially damaging-to-others activity, what your parent is doing is wrong on many levels.

It’s a crap shoot with the family, but they may also be the uncomfortable recipients of inappropriate information.

If you still have the email, it may be necessary evidence.

She emailed me a detailed patient neuropsych report of her pediatric patient from her personal email, with a few small redactions but the patient name and other identifying information

You would not be vindictive for reporting that. If you found out someone sent your personal medical information to somebody else, would you want that person to be held accountable?

Look up how to be anon and report it. Don’t let stupid shit like this slide, who gives a fuck if someone thinks you are petty or vindictive? HIPAA exists for a reason.

”...partly due to her egregious violation of HIPAA”

Has she done this before? If so, definitely report.

I would let them know that sharing confidential patient information is a good way to quickly lose one’s job and be banned from future employment in health care.

If they persist, I would look into anonymously reporting it.

You said you have gone no contact with her, so therefore you won’t be receiving any more confidential health informaton about her patients. I would leave this alone, because it’s your mom, and you acknowledge that reporting her might be the nail in the coffin as far as your relationship.

Others feel differently, I understand.

I feel like you don’t know what path your life is going to take in the future decades, and maybe things will change. It can’t be predicted.

I would leave it alone. A long time ago I probably would have said to her something along the lines of don’t tell me or anyone a patient’s name, don’t share medical documents, etc. I’ve worked in healthcare and I understand why you are so upset and conflicted, but I wouldn’t report my mom.

You say you have already separated yourself from her. If you do interact again, just make it clear she is putting herself and you at risk and that you won’t tolerate it. Does she even know why you hit your last straw with her? Did she know you have been uncomfortable with this all along?

You should report the violation. The persons rights were violated plain and simple. They have a right to know.

“Hey, don’t do this or I’ll ignore you.”

Wow, so difficult.

A lot of medical professionals overshare with family, it’s not uncommon. It makes me uncomfortable but I’d never snitch because thats a very stressful field and sometimes they need to be understood like everyone else. The details should have been redacted, agreed, but reporting it is too far imo.

For all you “just it go” folks, how is this OK???
”…but the patient name and other identifying information (family structure, number and ages of siblings, full list of diagnoses, etc.) remained.”

I don’t care how sressful it is, it’s a criminal act!!. How free you all are with somebody else’s confide tial, and potentially damaging, private information!

For me to turn a family member in for a crime, it would have to be an egregious crime (rape, murder, robbery, something like that).

If the mother took the medical documents and posted them to a public forum for the world to see, I would feel differently. It stopped at the family member. It’s not ok but it’s not murder, rape, torture, kidnapping, child molestation, robbing and stealing, etc.

If I’m going to turn my own mother in, she would have to commit something on that level. It stopped at the OP.

That’s just me. I understand some others don’t agree with me. If my opinion upsets people, I’m sorry.

Well geez. I hope ya’lls medical records get shown to random people. Good Lord, you can’t bitch about HIPAA anymore lol. It either needs to be followed at all times, no exceptions, or it can be broken whenever a person is feeling “stressed”. You can’t have a gray area with legally protected information. Cannot believe that had to be explained. Thought it was common sense.

Let’s remember the OP is a medical professional herself. Her mom might think it isn’t a big deal since her daughter is also bound by HIPAA. I do realize it’s still not ok, because even a medical professional who works at a facility shouldn’t be looking up records for patients they aren’t treating.

We don’t know if the OP ever pushed back on her mom before, and we don’t know how her mom might be rationalizing it.

Family and friends sometimes talk about patients in a very general way, but I’ve never been in a circumstance where they shared a name.

So, @JLeslie , you’d be OK losing your medical insurance because of an indiscreet provider?

A couple of things. Of course I’ve asked her to not share info about patients/clients with me, but she doesn’t respect boundaries because she’s a narcissist.

I have talked to my therapist about this medical record sharing (I’m upset about it and anxious about contact from her), and she very strongly believed it should be reported and that my mom should lose her license.

I am not a medical provider and have no license to work with patients. But I have done medical research and am extremely familiar with HIPAA.

I do think this family has a right to know that their records were breached (not sure how to word this). To be clear – this is a comprehensive neuropsych evaluation of a child. Many, many pages long, very detailed information about the whole family, entire medical history, intellectual deficits, a new autism diagnosis, etc.

This wasn’t a mistake or oversight.

I think she disregards boundaries across the board, even laws and rules about how to interact with patients/clients. To me, this is symptomatic of a much larger pattern that is very concerning for someone who works with vulnerable people.

Also, I have gone no-contact, but she is still trying to manipulate and hurt my family. I don’t know that I won’t get contact or other records in the future because I have no idea what motivated this case that we’re discussing.

If you feel strongly about it, @Cupcake, then do what you feel you need to do.

@Cupcake Going No Contact with even a toxic parent is difficult, and the repercussions can go on for years. For me, it was still better than putting up with the subtle, soul crushing crap. Too many people think that it isn’t justified if you weren’t beaten or raped. Bullshit.

I feel for you, be well.

Report it! This is how personal stuff sometimes becomes public because of indiscreet people. She’s trusting others with people’s personal details. People pay to get help and not ridiculed or to have all their business become public. Doesn’t matter if they know these other people or not or even if they can be harmed by it. This person is her victim. Report it. I loathe hearing such private information about other people if they were entrusted to keep it quiet. When I was and assistant manager for a rental property, I didn’t talk about any of my residents’ personal information. Even when they overshared. Medical and work info is just wrong.

@Cupcake I agree with @jca2. If you feel strongly then report.

Meanwhile, no one in her work environment has caught her doing something like this? It would be nice if someone else had the burden of reporting and not you, her daughter.

If you are not a medical professional obligated to HIPAA you can’t get in trouble. I understand you want to do the right thing to protect the patient and the family and other patients, but as far as this patient it’s done. You won’t share the information with anyone. I assume it isn’t someone famous that could wind up with massive publicity about it. It’s obviously still not ok, but for famous people it can be juicy news.

Did she think the information would help you somehow? I don’t understand why she sent it.

You mentioned she no longer works there. Did you mean the specific position or isn’t working in a healthcare facility anymore?

I’m clearly very torn. I think it should be reported, yes. But I really don’t want to be the one to report my mother. Especially not having other people in the family supporting that decision. But it was sent from her personal email directly to my personal email, so there isn’t anyone else to report. I can request to be anonymous but it seems like it would be clear that the report came from me.

I’ve tried for the past 3 months to just let it go but it’s eating at me. I can’t let go. I feel complicit. And angry.

As far as I know, her professional reputation is a very good one and her coworkers have not seen this behavior.

I don’t want to get into details about the job change but it’s just a natural and expected thing. I do believe she is still using her professional license, or I wouldn’t even be considering reporting her.

I’d flat out tell her to stop, and why. Make sure it’s in a text or email.

@Cupcake Tough situation. Hopefully, you’ll be able to have your mind rest about it. Three months this has been bothering you and you also are dealing with plenty of other difficult things. This added stressor is really unfortunate.

A therapist a long time ago helped me make a big decision by asking me how will I feel in 5 years if I pick choice A and then think about the same scenario with choice B. It helped me figure out which choice might give me the highest chance of regret.

Maybe in your case it is how will you feel a few months after choice A or B? Will one have a higher chance of peace in your life? I lean towards not reporting, but for you it might be the opposite. You are the one actually in the situation not me. You have been dealing with your mom your whole life not me; you know best the repercussions.

I tend towards not making big waves and not estranging myself, @canidmajor was estranged from her mom. Just be aware that opinions here involve people projecting their own lives. Only you know your specific circumstance.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate hearing your perspectives.

I vehemently disagree with those who say this is a heinous crime that MUST be reported.

Gossiping with family is almost always harmless.

HIPAA is intended to prevent exploitation of patients. Publicly embarrassing them – hurting their standing personally, commercially, or professionally – giving insurers a reason to withdraw support, etc.

Excellent points @Call_Me_Jay.
That’s why I said to just ask her to stop.

@Call_Me_Jay This is a “Right to Know” violation. HIPPA is there to protect peoples PHI and requires notification if it is accidentally or intentionally seen by someone else unless approved by that person.
Nobody said it was heinous. I however can feel it SHOULD be reported as it is the right thing to do. It is the law and there is an action required.
This was not gossip or family telling another family about their information. It was about someone else’s PHI that was divulged.
I work in the industry. I am not even supposed to have my monitors pointed out a window incase the UPS man goes by.
There is no disgrace in reporting. The person who’s information was leaked has a right to know.
If you don’t agree with following Privacy and Security Regulations, what do you agree with?