"ALL hospital staff, not just at Innova, need to be more conscious of HIPAA and that when a patient signs a release so that information can be given to a person/entity of the patient's choice, it should happen without fear for the signing of HIPAA releases is what that is all about. I was very frustrated when my friend called and one particular nurse would not give her any information. I told this nurse that he should have checked my records because I signed the HIPAA release during my preregistration process. He still insisted he could not; it wasn't like he was busy or overwhelmed with other patients because I was the ONLY patient at the hospital. My job requires I know about HIPAA and this action was unacceptable, completely unacceptable. My friend lives in another town nearby and had been with me all day Friday so did not need to drive in and I had made the specific provision for this to be done (her to call) as well as my brother to call (he no longer drives); she called the nurses station specifically to see how I was so as not to wake me up if I were resting or sleeping. It will be brought to the hospital administration's attention."
