Shadowing and HIPAA

[Phenol312]

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So, as some of you may know, I've been trying get in some kind of "shadowing" with a physician. Thing is, I was just told today by one of my contacts that it has become extremely difficult to do this because of NJ's strict HIPAA regulations. Is this true?

If so, what should I do now to better my EC's?

 

[HumidBeing]

I had to register for, go through, and get signed off on HIPAA training at the hospital before shadowing locally. Perhaps you could see if it would be possible to arrange something of the same sort.

 

[Kthanksbye]

Same problem. The hospital my dad works at won't let me shadow there because of HIPPA. Although I think HIPPA is a collection of frighteningly bad regulations, they are misusing the regulations because they just don't want to deal with potential liabilities.

 

[Phenol312]

I guess it doesn't matter if its state or federal ... the point is she told me that she would do what she could but was not able to promise anything.

This doesn't make much sense...med schools expect us to have things like shadowing on our apps but the law seems to be doing everything it can to prevent us from getting that experience. Although I guess the HIPAA training was designed to address this ... how long does that take? Is it like a day class or something along those lines?

 

[Kthanksbye]

I guess it doesn't matter if its state or federal ... the point is she told me that she would do what she could but was not able to promise anything.

This doesn't make much sense...med schools expect us to have things like shadowing on our apps but the law seems to be doing everything it can to prevent us from getting that experience. Although I guess the HIPAA training was designed to address this ... how long does that take? Is it like a day class or something along those lines?

When I signed up to volunteer I had to watch a few videos and take a test afterwards. Took about three to four hours.

 

[BlackSails]

When I signed up to volunteer I had to watch a few videos and take a test afterwards. Took about three to four hours.

I just had to sign that I had seen a video and then I took a test. Took 15 minutes.

 

[Phenol312]

When I signed up to volunteer I had to watch a few videos and take a test afterwards. Took about three to four hours.

sweet. so long as i dont have to make a blood pack with the devil im good...although im pretty desperate at the moment i might go that far.

 

[Nataliemay24]

haha, when i was volunteering the job i had was to explain hippa to patients. then i sat there and looked over their medical records and watched the doctors examine them. no one seemed to notice how odd this was.

good luck finding someone to shadow.

 

[HumidBeing]

The one I attended took a short afternoon. Most of the attendees were residents and med students. There was a video. We were given a folder addressing the law, and there was a lecture about specific types of violations and how to avoid making them. Afterward, there was a question and answer period. It took 2 1/2 - 3 hrs., tops. The sign-off is good for a year, and then has to be renewed. Your mileage may vary.

Oh, I could not just sign up on my own. One of the attendings called to have my name put on the list.

 

[Phenol312]

great...thanks so much for the info everyone!!!

 

[pakbabydoll]

My hospital you sign a paper saying you won't talk about the patients and then get each individual patient to sign a paper saying thats its ok for a pre-med student to come in the room during examination.

 

[0Complications]

I think every hospital is a little different on the way they handle HIPAA. The easiest thing you could do is to sign up as a volunteer, where you'll have to do the class get tested for TB and a couple of other things, then you will do all of the HIPAA forms.

Once you're a volunteer it will make it a lot easier to shadow Docs at the hospital because you already have all the HIPAA forms on file. The Docs that you shadow will briefly explain who you are and and see if it's ok with each patient they encounter and then you are good to go. I did this for a while in the ED, Cardiology, Surgery, Pathology (although here we didn't have to ask the patients, because it's really hard to ask a necrotic testicle or transected colon for permission ), CT, MR, and some other spots I'm sure I'm forgetting.

Plus this way you can volunteer at the hospital too, which I enjoyed.

 

[Phenol312]

Pathology (although here we didn't have to ask the patients, because it's really hard to ask a necrotic testicle or transected colon for permission ),

Plus this way you can volunteer at the hospital too, which I enjoyed.

ok...that made me laugh aloud. i think its just because you mentioned testicles and a colon...god im so childish.

 

[TheRealMD]

It usually requires some sort of HIPPA training or a family member willing to take responsibility over you.

 

[da me ka don]

The bigger teaching hospitals would not really care. One nurse was giving me some bull about HIPAA yada yada...and the resident I was shadowing just asked me to ignore her.

 

[brains]

I've never had to do anything like that. EVER. All that I had to go through was the doc explained to the patient beforehand that I am a student studying medicine and then asked them if I could watch. I remember the 1st time I shadowed an anesthesiologist he mentioned that they might make me sign something but when I got there, no one ever brought it up.

I don't know, sounds like you guys need to move to Albuquerque. I never have any trouble finding docs to shadow either. They're all willing to help out a future doctor and aren't picky at all at how to do it. I work in a hospital, so I know how important HIPAA is around here. Every time a patient comes in, he/she must sign a HIPAA form. It's a pain in the ass everyone must endure, but as far as shadowing goes, it's not a big deal.

 

[AKN]

I went through a 1.5 day orientation to volunteer It included HIPAA.
I went through another 3 hours of HIPAA training somewhere else, so I could shadow a particular physician.
I'm HIPPA'd out...

 

[foreverLaur]

When I shadowed they gave me a huge handout that I had to read and answer a ton of questions about and then sign it.

 

[Tony326]

For anyone who cares:

It's HIPAA, not HIPPA. The acronym is for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. I think a lot of people get confused because it's commonly referred to as the Patient Privacy Act which has the whole PPA thing going on.