As soon as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) entered the United States, reports began to surface detailing an increased rate of cyberattacks against healthcare entities. That trend is unlikely to change anytime soon.
Q: Like other hospitals, we have had many patients transported via ambulance with COVID-19 symptoms. Once these patients are tested for the virus, are we permitted under HIPAA to disclose their test results to the first responders who treated them and brought them to the hospital?
Q: When dealing with a public health emergency, which disclosures are permitted to the media and which are not? Does HIPAA allow for any identifiable information to be disclosed to news organizations if the intention is to protect the public at large?
Q: Like other hospitals, we have had many patients transported via ambulance with COVID-19 symptoms. Once these patients are tested for the virus, are we permitted under HIPAA to disclose their test results to the first responders who treated them and brought them to the hospital? Should the first responders be made aware when they have interacted with a patient who has tested positive?
Q: When our physicians need to talk to a patient’s family about the status of the patient, they usually can do so in a private room near the waiting area. But there have been instances when the private rooms are occupied and the physicians must discuss the status of a patient in the waiting room or in the hallway. Is this permissible under HIPAA?
