sensitive patient access report

Once the records are flagged as "sensitive", tracking occurs in VistA, and an audit trail of access is available through the Sensitive Patient Access Report (SPAR). This label or flagging does not affect patients' treatment, and is about

Full Answer

What is a sensitive patient access report (spar)?

This means the LOG of all those accessing records will be supplied in a SPAR report (Sensitive Patient Access Report). Don't forget to request reporting time frame (all).

How do I report a veteran with sensitive medical records?

If you are concerned, have the veteran request their Medical Records be marked "Sensitive" by the Privacy Officer at your local VAMC. This means the LOG of all those accessing records will be supplied in a SPAR report (Sensitive Patient Access Report). Don't forget to request reporting time frame (all).

What patient access data is available for the VA?

Regularly updated patient access data is available for all VA Medical Centers and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics including average wait times, number of patients waiting for a scheduled appointment and number of patients that cannot be scheduled for an appointment in 90 days or less. Both completed and pending appointment data is available.

Where can I find patient access data released in 2014?

NOTE: Patient access data released in 2014 is available in the 2014 Patient Access Data Archive.

What are observation patients included in?

Observation patients included in patient lists, census, and statistical reports

What is role based access?

Role-based access: You have access to options depending on their function (role). This allows the site manager to create a custom menu for each user by assigning security keys to each option.

What is PIMS v5.3?

The purpose of this PIMS v5.3 training is to give you the skills and knowledge needed to use PIMS to manage outpatient appointments; admit, transfer, and discharge inpatient visits; and track patients with restricted records.

What is the HIPAA Privacy Rule?

In addition, to avoid a conflict with the CLIA regulations, the HIPAA Privacy Rule included an exception to a patient’s general right of access to their health information for CLIA-certified or CLIA-exempt laboratories that were prohibited by law from providing such access. Thus, in the 26 states that lacked laws authorizing direct disclosure ...

How many states have not allowed direct access to CLIA labs?

Thus, in the 26 states that lacked laws authorizing direct disclosure of test reports to patients, and in the 13 states that expressly prohibited such access, patients did not have direct access to their completed test reports through CLIA laboratories. The final rule removes unintended barriers for patients to their own health information.

How long does it take for a lab to provide a report?

Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, laboratories will be required to provide patients with their completed test reports within 30 days of a request, but they will not be required to explain the results to patients.

Can a CLIA lab provide a patient's personal representative?

The CLIA regulations now allow CLIA-certified laboratories to provide the patient, his or her personal representatives, and/or a person designated by the patient, as applicable, with copies of completed test reports upon the patient’s or personal representative’s request. In addition, the above-described exception to an individual’s right ...

Who is responsible for HIPAA privacy?

The final rule is being issued jointly by three agencies within HHS: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which is generally responsible for regulatory laboratory oversight under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA); the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which provides scientific and technical advice to CMS related to CLIA; and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which is responsible for administering the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

Can a lab release a completed test report?

Prior to this final rule, under CLIA regulations, a laboratory could only release completed test reports directly to a patient only if: (1) the ordering provider expressly authorized the laboratory to do so at the time the test was ordered; or (2) state law expressly allowed for it.

Does HIPAA restrict access to test reports?

In addition, the above-described exception to an individual’s right of access in the HIPAA Privacy Rule is now removed, and contrary state laws that limit individuals’ access to completed test reports are preempted by the rule. The CLIA regulations do not change the role of providers in ordering tests and explaining test reports to patients.

Why was the Gainesville clinic incorrectly populated?

Initial data published for 1/22/2015 contained an inaccuracy for the number of appointments scheduled for the clinics under the Gainesville, FL parent facility. Due to a transcription error, the facility names listed under the Gainesville parent facility were incorrectly populated. We have corrected this transcription error and apologize for the confusion.

When did the VA do a national access audit?

In mid-April 2014, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs directed the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to complete a nation-wide Access Audit to ensure a full understanding of VA’s policy among scheduling staff, identify any inappropriate scheduling practices used by employees regarding Veteran preferences for appointment dates, and review waiting list management.

When did the VA start accelerating access to care?

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014 VA launched the Accelerating Access to Care Initiative, a nation-wide program to ensure timely access to care. As directed by President Obama, VHA identified Veterans across the system experiencing waits that do not meet Veterans expectations for timeliness. VA began contacting and scheduling all Veterans who are waiting for care in VA clinics or arranging for care in the community, while simultaneously addressing the underlying issues that impede Veterans’ access.

Does the 2016 enrollment list include new enrollment requests?

Initial Pending Appointments data published for May 1, 2016 did not include New Enrollee Appointment Request list totals at the national and local levels. This updated release includes these totals.

What happened after reporting Seekins?

After reporting Seekins, a report, likely a SPAR (see below), shows some of her subordinates unlawfully accessed the veteran’s medical records while Seekins herself was attempting to wrongfully terminate the veteran.

Do veterans have privacy?

Make no mistake, if you are a veteran and an employee of the VA you have no medical privacy like your civilian counter part VA employees.

Is a HIPPA violation a criminal offense?

HIPPA violations may be a criminal act and should be prosecuted if the information was shared. I am a nurse at a private hospital, and if private medical information is accessed for “snooping” purposes (can be proved by audit logs), the employee would be terminated immediately upon the completion of an investigation. Hands down, no questions asked: TERMINATION at a minimum….possible criminal charges for HIPPA violations if certain elements are met.