Opinion
Protect patient privacy by using a waiting room number system
LETTER — Posted July 17, 2006
Regarding "HIPAA compliance is seldom total" (Column, June 5): Patients are frequently called aloud, by name, in physician waiting rooms. This practice does not protect their privacy.
My wife suggests that the patient be given a number to be used for that visit at the time of registration. The number can then be called when the patient is to be seen. The patient's name is used thereafter in the privacy of the examining room. I think this is a simple, cost-effective and positive strategy that the HIPAA folks would like.
Joseph A.C. Girone, MD, Telford, Pa.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/07/17/edlt0717.htm.