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Healthcare professionals, I need your advice.

My doctor has another patient with the same name and birthday as me (but different year.) It's a really weird coincidence, because my name is not that common. I've known about the other woman for a while because of things that the receptionist has said when she confirms addresses, etc.

When their office converted from paper to digital, someone must have thought that there were two charts for one patient, and they combined them. This other woman's stuff is all over my chart, and I assume some of my stuff is in her chart. I don't know.

I figured this out when I kept calling for refills and they kept saying that they had called it in, but the pharmacy was like "we haven't heard from them". And then I couldn't sign up for the patient portal because my "birthdate was incorrect." When I went in for a recent appointment, the health care provider started reading things that were on my chart aloud, but they weren't mine. She read it all and asked if it was correct. I know that this woman has heart disease, diabetes, her dad died of a twisted gut, she has two brothers, etc.

They say they're in process of correcting my chart, but it's still not right.

This is a huge HIPAA violation, yes?

I'm very concerned that her health history being in any way connected to my records could cause trouble for me in the future if I need to apply for life insurance or something, or that her conditions are being reported to my insurance or vice versa.

In order to protect myself, I need to report the HIPAA violation, right? I want it on record that the charts are messed up. Is this going to make my dcotor hate me? Aren't they supposed to report the violation, too?

[This message edited by SacredSoul33 at 8:42 PM, Wednesday, April 3rd]

SacredSoul, OMG ... the same thing happened to me and it's scary and frustrating. I GAVE UP and changed specialists! I just could not take more chances. After the cancer surgery I would get a call to come in for an appointment and I'd be confused because I would already HAVE a verified appointment. At first I thought it was something to do with the doctor's schedule but then I'd get there and then weird things would happen -- they would come in and say things like ..."Well! You finished chemo!" And I NEVER had to have chemo after surgery. It happened FOUR times, being mistaken for the other woman who has the exact same name as mine (but much older) and ironically, she lives only about 5 miles from me! Twice they even gave me gasoline gift cards because of the mix-up! And evetime - four times - they would ask me to stand against the wall and they'd take a picture of me 'for my file' even though they already had one.

I wad NOT going to stick around for a huge mistake that might kill me. I got recommendations for a new specialist and MOVED to him. I demanded and got all my medical records. I didn't even want that other poor woman being mixed up either, with MY records.

RUN.

Ask to speak with an administrator.

If you have to go to the E.D. or require emergency surgery and they go into your chart and your allergies are wrong that, for one thing is a huge problem.

Yes, HUGE HIPAA violation!

Once they've been made aware of the violation, I think it is their responsibility to report the violations, because they have to notify the other patient of the breach.

Last month when I went to the ER with weakness due to norovirus (and other bothersome things), they violated HIPAA upon discharge. Someone printed off all of my discharge instructions and handed a pile of papers to me as I was leaving - I kept thinking (not in any mood to actually look at them and read them), this is a lot of papers for discharge. Well, when I got home and finally got around to looking at the papers, they had included another patient's discharge instructions with mine. So someone just grabbed whatever was on the printer without looking at what they were grabbing. A good friend of mine who used to manage a medical practice told me the hospital had a responsibility to inform the other patient. But I'm sure the hospital never knew what they did because I didn't call them and I shredded the papers with his name on them.

A couple of weeks ago, the hospital sent me a survey about my experience that day. It was anonymous, but I did tell them about the violation, and included the patient's name so there was no question of my report. His name was nothing like mine, he was an older male. But I saw all of the medications he was on (that's what clued me in to look at the name on the papers, because these were not meds I'm on). Interestingly, when I arrived in the ER, I asked them if they wanted a list of my meds; they said they'd send someone in or get it from my daughter (who was registering me). After looking at my discharge papers, I noticed they had NONE of my medications listed, except for the Zofran they gave me. I later asked my daughter if they ever got the med list from her and she said no - I'm on quite a few prescriptions and they never bothered. SMH

I know these places are understaffed, but when I arrived, there was no wait for me to be taken back, so I know they weren't too busy.

Thosnisnan issue and unfortunately happens. Should it? Absolutely not. How to correct it is a much bigger issue.

Always make your providers confirm who you are by 2 identifiers. Most use DOB and Adress. They need to go through your file and comb the other you information out.

Yes this can be reported as a HIPAA violation and should be. However since no malice was intended it won't result in much. But still go through the process.

Lastly. Moving forward ask if your record is marked for de merging. Never give information without 3 personal identifiers. Warn providers there is another patient with same/similar DOB and to he EXTREMELY careful going forward.

Unfortunately these errors typically go back to a registration person making minimum wage that just doesn't give a shit. Always demand 3 identifiers

Wow, it sounds like this is all too common!

I don't want to get my provider in trouble, I just want to protect myself from possible future issues, like life insurance problems or allergy issues, like zebra mentioned. I don't want them amputating my leg or something if I go in for some minor surgery. Yikes. The mix-up needs to be on the record so that I have a leg to stand on (oh look! A pun!) if I need to contest incorrect information, and my medical record needs to be thoroughly cleaned up.

Thanks, y'all. I'll ask for an administrator and about demerging. And will report this.