Possible HIPPA violation?

[spidey07]

This seemed rather odd. School absences were always classified as "excused" or "unexcused". These were what they were officially recorded as. Now a third official option has been added to the system - "flu-like symptoms". So absences are now Excused, unexcused and flu-like symptoms.

Is this somehow a HIPPA or patient confidentiality violation? I mean I understand the reasoning and it would be a good way for schools to record flu numbers but it smells fishy legally.

 

[Turin39789]

No

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

this makes it sound like HIPPA goes wayyyyyyyyy too far

 

[Kaervak]

It's not. Being ill is common knowledge, discussing medical treatment of that illness is what HIPAA covers. Besides the parents are the ones telling the school the information and they are the child's legal guardian and have the right to inform anyone of their child's health issues if they want. If someone else was to call the school and say that, maybe in some weird way it would be a violation but I highly highly doubt it.

 

[biggestmuff]

What school are you a patient of, Spidey?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: biggestmuff
What school are you a patient of, Spidey?

I see where you're going. I was thinking more about patient confidentiality and the school having a record of when you had flu-like symptoms instead of just calling it excused absence.

 

[SirStev0]

In my opinion, No.

Do you believe it is a violation to bar people with contagious antibiotic resistant TB from boarding planes for over seas flights?

There are a lot of funky wording. The main goal it to maintain privacy and resist discrimination against people for health reasons.


I would be VERY interested to hear your opinion with sharing health information with insurance companies. It has become an untalked about gray area, but some people claim deny people for preexisting conditions and using health history to charge certain rates is a violation.

 

[imagoon]

HIPPA only really covers medical staff, and other people that might be in the "know" like HR (work place office insurance claims.) A teacher saying "Little Billy was sick" isn't covered because the teacher isn't medical personal, so there is no "Doctor, Patient confidentiality" to violate.

 

[DrPizza]

Is excused/unexcused/flu being marked in a way that the public can see this? I ask, because once it's recorded, it's a part of the student's confidential educational record. Thus, if you can see records of other students' attendance, the school is in violation.

Also, my school has a hell of a lot more choices besides "excused" and "unexcused" - each of those categories is broken down quite a bit & other pertinent information as it affects decisions related to grading issues (after 20 absences, everything else receives a grade of 0, unless there are extenuating circumstances.)

 

[FoBoT]

reading this
http://www.opm.gov/insure/archive/health/cbrr.htm#chpt1
seems it mainly covers the health care industry, not other institutions like schools
but then i ain't no internet lawyer