Several people have asked for this interpretive letter off-list, so I’m sharing with the group since we are on the EMR/privacy topic right now.
Melanie Swift, MD
Director, Vanderbilt Occupational Health Clinic
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces@mylist.net]
On Behalf Of Davis, Sue
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2017 10:51 AM
To: 'MCOH/EH'
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] Significant exposure lab work
Melanie,
Do you have a copy of the OSHA Interpretive letter on HIPAA and the EMR?
Thank you,
Sue Davis
MS, BSN, RN, CVRN – BC, NE-BC, CCRN-K
Service Leader, Learning Center & Employee Health
Methodist Health System
8601 West Dodge Road, Suite 18, Omaha, NE 68114
Phone: (402) 354-5694
Learning Center Fax: (402) 354-5466
Employee Health Fax: (402) 354-8819
sue.davis@nmhs.org
Making life easier, one day at a time
J
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces@mylist.net]
On Behalf Of Swift, Melanie
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2017 10:25 AM
To: MCOH-EH@mylist.net
Subject: Re: [MCOH-EH] Significant exposure lab work
Jennifer, for argument’s sake I’m assuming you are talking about bloodborne pathogen exposures. This touches on OSHA privacy requirements, HIPAA, and is very specific to each institution’s setup. You might see
internal and external clients and have different privacy requirements for each. Other facilities may be different. I recommend you consult with your own institution’s privacy office or legal counsel. If your own employees are compelled to come to your clinic
for baseline postexposure labwork, OSHA has issued an interpretive letter saying that just the hospital’s routine privacy protections around their EMR are not adequate, and that those labs must have additional privacy protections.
Melanie Swift, MD
Director, Vanderbilt Occupational Health Clinic
From: MCOH-EH [mailto:mcoh-eh-bounces@mylist.net]
On Behalf Of Mora, Jennifer
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2017 10:15 AM
To: MCOH-EH@mylist.net
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Significant exposure lab work
Hi All,
There have been questions recently about what lab work should be done after a significant exposure, but I am looking for information on how you maintain those records. We currently use Epic for our occupational records. When a significant
exposure occurs, the lab work is done on paper and the results come to employee/occupational health. For outside companies, our practice has been to scan the lab results into the epic record after all the results have come back. What do you do with the
lab results? Do you keep a paper file for the exposed person? Do you scan them into the record?
Thanks!
Jen
Jennifer Mora MSN, RN
Business Health and Wellness Coordinator
Stoughton Hospital
900 Ridge Street
Stoughton, WI 53589
Office 608-873-2204
Cell 608-235-4239
Confidentiality Notice: This email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are
not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.
This message and any included attachments are from Nebraska Methodist Health System and its affiliates and are intended only for the addressee. The message may contain privileged, confidential and/or proprietary information intended only for the person(s) named.
Unauthorized forwarding, printing, copying, distribution, or use of such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you are not the addressee, please promptly delete this message and notify the sender of the delivery error by e-mail or you
may call Nebraska Methodist Health System and its affiliates in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A at (402)354-2280.