Shh HIPPA’s in the House

What do you mean you can’t tell me what’s wrong with Aunt Bert?  It’s a question we often get from families and friends at Azura Memory Care.

Unfortunately, exactly 20 years ago a special law was passed called the  Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which does not allow for disclosure of individuals’ health information.  While we understand that not knowing can be frustrating, per the legislation our Team at Azura is only allowed to give out information  to the approved or appointed persons dictating the health care of our residents.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this Protected Health Information  or PHI includes any “Individually identifiable health information” or information, including demographic data, that relates to:

• the individual’s past, present or future physical or mental health or condition,
• the provision of health care to the individual, or
• the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual,

and that identifies the individual or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe it can be used to identify the individual.¹³  Individually identifiable health information includes many common identifiers (e.g., name, address, birth date, Social Security Number).

As a family of care we understand the desire to know how other residents are doing, but please understand that per HIPPA and out of RESPECT for our residents and their families this information can’t be provided to you.

We have a saying at Azura, “If it were your loved one would you…” in this case want the whole world to know what was going on?  Odds are the answer is “No.”  We thank you for understanding and supporting every one in our family of care in RESPECTING privacy within our homes.