As electronic capabilities continue to grow and information technology takes a stronger role in health care facilities, the rules pertinent to enforcing HIPAA regulations will continue to emerge. It is vitally important that all staff be kept apprised of changes and that you have a good understanding of your facility's particular rules and policies.

A facility where you did much of your training may have had a very different philosophy and practice regarding HIPAA responsibilities than your present one does. There may have been practices that you were unaware of as well. Be sure you understand what your facility expects regarding HIPAA and privacy regulations.

For instance, one facility may have made it a hard and fast rule that it doesn't divulge a patient's presence in a facility at all. If you called there looking for a relative or friend, they would tell you they cannot tell you if the patient is there. The only way people calling in can talk to a patient is to know her room number and a password. They might have to use a different password to obtain information from the nurses about the condition of their relative or friend.

Another hospital requires that the patient officially notify the admitting staff if he wishes to withhold his name from the phone directory. Unless so noted, anyone calling in to ask if the patient is in this facility would be told that he is indeed a patient in this facility. This is in keeping with HIPAA regulations, despite myths being circulated to the contrary.

In most instances, patients do need to designate who can be given information about their care or condition. In the event a patient is not able to consent, it can be implied that next of kin or caregiver be recognized as a designated representative to whom information can be divulged. How the facility's exact policy is written will dictate the actual procedure.