At 02:55 PM 12/30/2008, k7ve wrote: >--- In [email protected], "Frank P." <n2...@...> wrote: > > > > > A group of ARES volunteers at a local shelter are in direct > > communication with the Red Cross HQ, or a hospital, or the local > > OEM. The shelter has several sick or injured individuals who need > > assistance or transportation to a hospital. The shelter emcom hams > > prepare a database (Excel spreadsheet, text message, etc.) containing > > the names, addresses, SSN's, Health Insurance info, and other data > > covered by the federal Privacy Act. How do they send this info > > without violating the Privacy Act? > >I worked for a major healthcare company (Doctors, Hospitals, and >Insurance) for 5 years. We dealt with HIPPA (not Federal Privacy Act) >every day. Some information is protected, but there are also >exceptions and there is certainly needed information verses >information that can be collected later.
HIPPA and Privacy are slightly different ... HIPPA deals with not sending a person's insurance info to places that should not have it. There is a cottage industry that has sprung up to screw this around to say that it covers all aspects of medical privacy. It does not, but that is what Privacy Acts and institutional privacy policies are about. I know this is more than anyone would want or should want to know. Dr. Dave
