Q&A: Voice mail
Compliance Monitor, February 16, 2011
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Compliance Monitor!
Q: May a preadmission nurse leave messages (e.g., “This is a reminder that your surgery is tomorrow; please don’t drink or eat anything after midnight.”) on an answering machine or mobile phone voice mail?
A: Yes, as long as the nurse does not specify the type of surgery or the name of the practice. Leaving the name of a specialty practice or the type of surgery, especially on an answering machine, can allow unauthorized individuals access to the patient’s PHI. Asking patients beforehand whether it is okay to leave such messages on an answering machine or voice mail is always best (45 CFR 164.502[a][1][i]). This question and answer tip was adapted from the February 2011 issue of Briefings on HIPAA. More information about Briefings on HIPAA is available at the HCMarketplace.
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Compliance Monitor!
Related Products
-
Stark Law, 2nd edition: A user's guide to achieving compliance
This updated version of HCPro's Stark Law best seller, first published in 2005—and now co-authored by former CMS Stark...
-
The Compliance Officer's Handbook, 2nd Edition
This revised edition is packed with even more practical tools, case studies, tips and tools, sample audits, and sample...
-
The HIPAA and HITECH Toolkit
The HIPAA and HITECH Toolkit is a valuable resource that helps both CEs and BAs understand and meet the HITECH Act's...
-
HIPAA Training Handbook for Business Associates
Train all of your staff members with this handbook and others in the 2009 HIPAA Handbook Series. Ensure they understand...
-
HIPAA Handbook for Executive, Administrative and Corporate Staff
Train all of your staff members with this handbook and others in the 2009 HIPAA Handbook Series. Ensure they understand...
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- Q/A: Volume requirement for reporting hydration services
- Featured blog post: Nurses face felony charges after reporting physician to the Texas Medical Board
- HIPAA Q&A: Level of encryption needed for email
- Catch up on what's new with injections and infusions
- Identify potential Medicaid RAC target areas
- Capturing all necessary codes for IUD insertion and removal can be challenging
- Topic: CMS, OESS post new security compliance review information, checklist
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- OB services: Coding inside and outside of the package
- Q/A: Coding infusions to correct low potassium levels
- E-mailed
-
- Q/A: Volume requirement for reporting hydration services
- Featured blog post: Nurses face felony charges after reporting physician to the Texas Medical Board
- HIPAA Q&A: Level of encryption needed for email
- CMS has reformulated payments for some bilateral procedures
- Q&A: Follow CMS' coding guidelines when using modifier -25
- Understand the spine to code back procedures correctly
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- Catch up on what's new with injections and infusions
- New conflicts of interest create new challenges
- Q/A. One injection code or two?
- Searched