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WHITTIER PAVILION
PATIENT RIGHTS: PRIVACY AND SAFETY
Tag No.: A0142
Based on observations the Hospital failed to provide privacy for one patient (Non-Sampled #1) in a sample of eleven patients.
Hospital Policy titled, Notice of Privacy Practices, undated, indicated that in order to disclose protected health information, the patient gives the Hospital written authorization to use or disclose protected health information to anyone for any purpose.
The Surveyor observed Hospital staff on the West Unit at 12:40 P.M. on 10/3/18. The Surveyor observed Registered Nurse #1, Registered Nurse #3 and Hospitalist #1 discussing Non-Sampled Patient #1's discharge. Non-sampled Patient #1 said he/she was anxious to be discharged from the Hospital. Registered Nurse #1 said that Non-Sampled Patient #1 needed to wait for and Electrocardiogram (EKG) to be done so that Non-Sampled Patient #1 could be safely discharged. Registered Nurse #3 told Non-Sampled Patient #1 that he could die if they discharged him without testing and the Hospital would be responsible if something bad happened to him/her. The Hospitalist joined the conversation to add additional information to support the Registered Nurse #1 and #3's statements. In the meantime additional patients were at the West Unit's Nurses Station and free to hear the protected health information about Non-Sampled Patient #1.