Writing about patients?

[chagall]

I'm thinking about taking some time to write down my thoughts about a few recent encounters with patients. These would probably just be for personal use (like a journal), but I'd like to be able to share them with friends at some point without violating HIPPA stuff.

I do know about HIPPA, but not quite sure if I have the details right for cases like this. I wouldn't include any patient's name or identifying information like that, but it seems like just telling a patient's story in some cases could be enough to identify him/her. Or that telling the story itself would be somehow violating confidentiality?

I hope it's not this complicated! Anyone know?

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[colbgw02]

I once rebroadcasted a major league baseball game with implied, oral consent instead of express, written consent.

I was fine; you will be too.

 

[ericdamiansean]

I'm thinking about taking some time to write down my thoughts about a few recent encounters with patients. These would probably just be for personal use (like a journal), but I'd like to be able to share them with friends at some point without violating HIPPA stuff.

I do know about HIPPA, but not quite sure if I have the details right for cases like this. I wouldn't include any patient's name or identifying information like that, but it seems like just telling a patient's story in some cases could be enough to identify him/her. Or that telling the story itself would be somehow violating confidentiality?

I hope it's not this complicated! Anyone know?

For the personal details, use general terms that it may be anyone you can pick up from the street. Just be careful when you are discussing rare cases because then it would be pretty easy to pinpoint it to one patient. Anyway, if you don't plan to post it up on a forum (email discussion) then it should be alright

 

[Winged Scapula]

Just don't be this guy...a little too arrogant or naive about the extent of the details he gave out about his patient.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/ma...07/05/31/blogger_unmasked_court_case_upended/