is there a phone number for HIPAA Violation information?

[Sshubail]

I just got a call from a friend that asked me this question.She wasn't feeling well and needed to go to the emergency room. She'd had a very bad experience in the local emergency room, so she went to one 1 hour away. They gave her meds and sent her on her way. On the way back, she & her husband stopped at a store and ran into the board president from where she works. She asked how she was and she told her she'd just left the emergency room and she was feeling a lot better. Well, this person went back to work...looked up her information and discovered that she hadn't gone to the emergency room (she was looking at the hospital that she didn't go to). In my opinion, this is a direct HIPPA Violation, as she was going in to get information that wasn't any of her business. The women then called my friends boss and said, "She didn't go to the hospital...I looked it up." What's your feel on it? She has proof she went to the other hospital, but the board president looking up her PERSONAL information just because she works at the hospital, bad...bad...bad.

 

[Proserpina]

While this could indeed constitute a HIPAA violation, what does your friend wish to accomplish?

There will be no monetary compensation; at worst the facility would receive a reprimand and/or fine.

How to report

 

[cbg]

I would like to point out, however, that your friend voluntarily gave the information that she had been to the emergency room, which makes a violation kind of iffy at best. Generally information that you voluntarily provide is no longer protected.