May physician offices use patient sign-in sheets or call out the names of patients in their waiting rooms?
Yes. Covered entities, such as physician’s offices, may use patient sign-in sheets or call out patient names in waiting rooms so long as the information disclosed is appropriately limited. The HIPAA Privacy Rule explicitly permits the incidental disclosures that may result from calling out a patent’s name in the waiting room or having patients’ names visible on a sign-in sheet. However, these incidental disclosures are permitted only when the covered entity has implemented reasonable safeguards and the minimum necessary standard, where appropriate. For example, the sign-in sheet may not display unnecessary medical information (e.g., the medical problem for which the patient is seeing the physician). [See 45 CFR 164.502(a)(1)(iii)] Q: May physician offices leave messages for patients at their homes, either on an answering machine or with a family member, to remind them of appointments? May providers continue to mail appointment reminders to patients’ homes? A: Yes. The HIPAA Privacy Rul
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- May physicians offices use patient sign-in sheets or call out the names of their patients in their waiting rooms?
- May physicians offices use patient sign-in sheets or call out the names of their patients in their waiting rooms?
- Can physician offices use patient sign-in sheets or call out the names of patients in their waiting rooms?
