Privacy in waiting rooms.

That's how it is here too at mine. Also the Bank tellers are a long way from the door. You wait behind a rope barrier until a teller asks you to approach them.

Basically my experiences are the same as yours and RRose. And as you stated, any medical discussions are in private room with the doctor and/or nurse and the door closed. Outside of being asked my name, birth date, and address, the rest is taken from my medicare and insurance cards which Ix am asked to present. Nothing is spoken aloud regarding info on the cards.

Maybe it's different in some parts of the country and/or overseas.
 

StarSong said;

"While we're on the subject, one of my pet peeves with nursing staff is when they treat elderly people like they're small children. "Did you go poo-poo today?" some would ask my 90 year old mother. Ugh!"

You're making me nervous. I'm heading towards 86 and wonder how long I've got until they start addressing me as you described?
:eek1:
 
What is this "privacy" thing you all are talking about? I looked it up at Wkipedia and it is not listed.:(

FM, do you mean this:

HIPAA is the acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that was passed by Congress in 1996.

Most of us believe that our medical and other health information is private and should be protected, and we want to know who has this information.

The Privacy Rule, a Federal law, gives you rights over your health information and sets rules and limits on who can look at and receive your health information. The Privacy Rule applies to all forms of individuals' protected health information, whether electronic, written, or oral. The Security Rule is a Federal law that requires security for health information in electronic form.

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html
 

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While we're on the subject, one of my pet peeves with nursing staff is when they treat elderly people like they're small children. "Did you go poo-poo today?" some would ask my 90 year old mother. Ugh!

I used to really bristle at that, and would sometimes shoot back, "She's 90, not 2." If you don't know the proper terms for bodily functions we can teach them to you."

My mother used to get upset when the doctor would talk directly to me instead of talking to her when asking questions. One day she looked at me and said: Tell him if he expects to get paid he had better talk to me and not my driver. After that everything was fine.
 
My mother used to get upset when the doctor would talk directly to me instead of talking to her when asking questions. One day she looked at me and said: Tell him if he expects to get paid he had better talk to me and not my driver. After that everything was fine.
LOL. Great~:love_heart:
 
Amusing anecdote,waiting room with my hubby,nurse comes to the door and in keeping with HIPPA regs,announces, "WILLIAM" 3 guys,including hubby stood up,she just moved them closer and got last names and moved on with the visit.
 
Our pharmacies have a line on the floor and a standing sign that says to stay behind that line while waiting. This gives the person at the counter privacy when picking up their med. There is a different area for Consultation.

I've never been at a medical or dental provider's office where information was given in the waiting room. All personal info is filled out on a form by the patient.

That's the way it is here, too. The only thing someone else might hear is "the doctor will be with you soon."
 
My mother used to get upset when the doctor would talk directly to me instead of talking to her when asking questions. One day she looked at me and said: Tell him if he expects to get paid he had better talk to me and not my driver. After that everything was fine.

I had a similar situation, only I was the patient and my daughter-in-law was the person a physical therapist was talking to. This was after my hip surgeries and the therapist came to my house while my DIL was visiting. My DIL told her she had no idea about what medicines I as prescribed or whether I was taking them properly and if the therapist wanted answers she should ask me. I gave the therapist an earful about how grey hair does not mean incompetence. I also called the PT place and told them never to send that therapist again. I also reported the incident to my ortho surgeon, who is big on having his patients treated with respect and dignity. I absolutely refuse to be treated in that manner and it made my blood boil.
 
Sunny-- check with Medicare for your new number. Within the last year, they reassigned numbers that are no longer your SS#.

Annie, I was very glad to see that new card when it arrived. The incidents I am talking about occurred before they issued those new cards. I never understood how they can tell you never to carry your SS card around in your wallet, and then every time you go to a new doctor, the Medicare card is what they want to see.
 


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