Health Information Management

DC emergency vehicle ride-alongs violate HIPAA

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, November 21, 2005

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The federal government recently prohibited Washington, DC, from operating a "ride-along" program for the public to see medics doing their jobs in emergency vehicles, The Washington Times reported. According to the government, the program violated HIPAA's privacy provisions.

The directive will probably have a chilling effect on municipal fire departments that allow members of the media and government-as well as the general public-to view emergency programs at work, reports The Washington Times.

An official at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said the ban did not apply to healthcare students, but that the privacy rule was clear in not providing exceptions for officials or the public.

Click here to read The Washington Times article.



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