The de-indentification rules in HIPPA [45 CFR 164.514] stipulate alot of personal information as PHI ( all for electronic media/transmission/retrieval/access etc) such as "All elements .... directly related to an individual, including names, birth date, admission date,discharge date, date of death, Medical record numbers......" . I know HIPPA rules go on to more explicit details for encoding and decoding personal information, and specifically stipulate the encryption etc- subjects that I should probably leave to those people who work with this directly. Anyhow, I have not taken a recent look at the HITECH act so not sure how it plays in to respond here, but I recall that it elaborates further. I don't have a checklist handy, but I would think that if you use an LIS with a patient data base, electronically send reports, fax reports/requisitions etc, this would mean you have to comply. I guess overall, most places I have worked at have interpreted the protection of PHI strictly to mean all information that relates to the patient identity, and have kept it as private as possible and restricted it unless you have that all important "need to know".
Joelle Weaver MAOM, HTL (ASCP) QIHC From: joewal...@rrmc.org To: m...@pathview.com; pamar...@uams.edu; joyce.we...@emoryhealthcare.org; pathr...@comcast.net; tmcne...@lmhealth.org; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2012 17:47:06 +0000 Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Two identifiers... CC: First, the two identifier rule applies to specimens arriving into the laboratory. Once you assign a unique lab identifier eg. an accession number, that is all that is required within the laboratory. This is from the CAP regulations. Second, ask the lab with the issue, exactly what protected health information is on the slide label? A person's name even DOB is NOT considered protected health information even under the latest HIPAA revisions. Joe W. Walker, Jr. MS, SCT(ASCP)CM Anatomical Pathology Manager Rutland Regional Medical Center 160 Allen Street, Rutland, VT 05701 P: 802.747.1790 F: 802.747.6525 NEW EMAIL: joewal...@rrmc.org www.rrmc.org Our Vision: To be the Best Community Healthcare System in New England Rutland Regional…Vermont’s 1st Hospital to Achieve Both ANCC Magnet Recognition® and the Governor’s Award for Performance Excellence -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Mihalik Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 1:34 PM To: 'Marcum, Pamela A'; 'Weems, Joyce K.'; 'Ron'; tmcne...@lmhealth.org; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Two identifiers... While on the subject of identifiers on slide labels, I was wondering if anyone had ever run into a concern regarding patient name on slides that are sent out for further stains, consultation, etc.? I've run into at least one lab that was concerned that it was a HIPPA/patient confidentiality violation. Has anyone else run into this issue or given this topic some consideration? Michael Mihalik PathView Systems | cell: 214.733.7688 | 800.798.3540 | fax: 952.241.7369 -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Marcum, Pamela A Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 1:19 PM To: 'Weems, Joyce K.'; 'Ron'; tmcne...@lmhealth.org; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Two identifiers... That I don't know as we have barcodes that the information is transferred from on the cassettes. It contains all of the patient info plus block and date information. Pam -----Original Message----- From: Weems, Joyce K. [mailto:joyce.we...@emoryhealthcare.org] Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 11:59 AM To: 'Ron'; Marcum, Pamela A; tmcne...@lmhealth.org; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [Histonet] RE: Two identifiers... Can a bar code be counted as an identifier? Joyce Weems Pathology Manager 678-843-7376 Phone 678-843-7831 Fax joyce.we...@emoryhealthcare.org www.saintjosephsatlanta.org 5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Atlanta, GA 30342 This e-mail, including any attachments is the property of Saint Joseph’s Hospital and is intended for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this message, and reply to the sender regarding the error in a separate email. -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Ron Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 12:39 PM To: pamar...@uams.edu; tmcne...@lmhealth.org; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: Two identifiers... We do the same as Pam with the patient name and case number Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone "Marcum, Pamela A" <pamar...@uams.edu> wrote: >We use the specimen or accessioning number and the patient name as the two >identifiers and that seems to meet the criteria. We use the Thermo cassette >writer and it transfers the information to the slides. > >Pam Marcum >UAMS > >-----Original Message----- >From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu >[mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Tom >McNemar >Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 10:03 AM >To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu >Subject: [Histonet] Two identifiers... > >Hello all, > >For those of you using cassette and slide labelers.... >Does your system permit you to print the accession number, patient name, and >DOB on the face of the cassette? Are you using the specimen number and name >as your two identifiers? > >Tom McNemar, HT(ASCP) >Histology Co-ordinator >Licking Memorial Health Systems >(740) 348-4163 >(740) 348-4166 >tmcne...@lmhealth.org<mailto:tmcne...@lmhealth.org> >www.LMHealth.org<file:///C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\TMCNEMAR\Applica >tion%20Data\Microsoft\Signatures\www.LMHealth.org> > >________________________________ >This e-mail, including attachments, is intended for the sole use of the >individual and/or entity to whom it is addressed, and contains information >from Licking Memorial Health Systems which is confidential or privileged. If >you are not the intended recipient, nor authorized to receive for the intended >recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the >contents of this e-mail and attachments is prohibited. If you have received >this in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail and delete the message >immediately. You may also contact the LMH Process Improvement Center at >740-348-4641. E-mail transmissions cannot be guaranteed to be secure or >error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, >arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not >accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this message, >which arise as a result of e-mail transmission. Thank you. >_______________________________________________ >Histonet mailing list >Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu >http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet >Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, >is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain >confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, >disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended >recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all >copies of the original message. > > >_______________________________________________ >Histonet mailing list >Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu >http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet ________________________________ This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message (including attachments). Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet This message (and any included attachments) is from Rutland Regional Health Services and is intended only for the addressee(s). The information contained herein may include privileged or otherwise confidential information. Unauthorized review, forwarding, printing, copying, distributing, or using such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you received this message in error, or have reason to believe you are not authorized to receive it, please promptly delete this message and notify the sender by e-mail. Thank You _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet