Personal Statement & Work and Activities - HIPAA

[DaOddOne]

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Hello all,

In my personal statement I discussed the story of a resident that I met while volunteering at a nursing home. I discussed her medical condition, but did not mention her name. In my work and activities, I provided the specific name of the nursing home that I volunteered at. If an individual reads my whole application, would this combined information constitute a HIPAA violation?

Thank you in advance.

 

[LizzyM]

It might. It is best to use caution and use a pseudonym. You can say "Ms. B." or "Ada" (use a short pseudonym to save space) and put the name in quotes or add parenthetically that this is a pseudonym.

I've often told the story of a fellow member of the adcom who read an application similar to yours and recognized that a disabled child mentioned by first name at a school where the applicant had volunteered was her own son! What the applicant did not know was that the youngster had recently died. The adcom member recused herself but it made me aware of just what a small world it is.

 

[DaOddOne]

It might. It is best to use caution and use a pseudonym. You can say "Ms. B." or "Ada" (use a short pseudonym to save space) and put the name in quotes or add parenthetically that this is a pseudonym.

I've often told the story of a fellow member of the adcom who read an application similar to yours and recognized that a disabled child mentioned by first name at a school where the applicant had volunteered was her own son! What the applicant did not know was that the youngster had recently died. The adcom member recused herself but it made me aware of just what a small world it is.

If I refer to her as "she", "her", or "a/the resident", would I be okay? I've never mentioned her name.

 

[lumya]

No this would likely not be a HIPAA violation. I’m assuming when you say “discussed” her condition you mean general and not specifics. Saying you met a resident with, say dementia, at a nursing facility does not provide any identifying characteristics but if you went further and said you met a patient with dementia and skin cancer who was a nurse during the Vietnam war and her three kids don’t visit her then you have provide enough information for someone to recognize who you’re talking about.

 

[DaOddOne]

Okay, that's reassuring. Thank you both!