As HIM Director, you receive a call from the CEO informing you that she has received a complaint from a patient. The patient reports that one of the coders in your department revealed the patient's diagnosis to the patient's neighbor. What action is recommended?
In handling a complaint about a confidentiality breach, the most prudent course of action is to gather all the facts prior to meeting with the employee. This ensures a fair and thorough investigation to validate the claim and understand the circumstances before taking any further action. Immediate termination or issuing a written warning without an investigation could lead to unfair treatment and possibly missing key information about the incident.
A. Gather all the facts prior to meeting with the employee