Trouble in Paradise
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WWYD? Overheard in a doctor's office.

My BFF asked for my opinion (and I gave it to her), but I'm curious as to what TIP would do.

My BFF is a pharm rep, so she's in and out of doctor's offices all day.  By some weird coincedence, she happened to be standing at the counter at an office when another friend of ours called in to ask about some test results.  The only reason she knew our friend was the one on the phone was because after the receptionist hung up, she started complaining about her to the nurse.  By name.  Loudly.  My BFF was horrified, and caught so off guard that she just hustled out of the office.  It upset her though, especially because the receptionist was being rather descriptive about what our friend was calling about (hello, HIPAA violation), and because no one wants to hear someone disparage their friend.

I told my BFF that she should go back to the office, and when she was alone with the doctor-in-charge, to inform her of what happened.  The doctor is on the hook for that kind of stuff, and if I owned my own practice, I'd want to know if my staff had loose lips and were unprofessional.  BFF doesn't seem to think it would affect her professional relationship with the office, but it's a worry.

WWTIPD?

 

This is my siggy.

Re: WWYD? Overheard in a doctor's office.

  • Can she make an anonymous phone call? Not mention her name? Then she could avoid bringing her professional life into it. But I'm kind of fiercely loyal to my friends; if that'd been me, there's no doubt I'd be talking to someone in charge to let them know what was going on.
    Oh, FFS.
  • Professionally -If I were the Doc in charge I would be embarrased to hear it, but thankful to whomever would tell me.  Who knows if this is the first time it's happened, if they have had problems with this receptionist before, etc. 

    Also, your friend could do alot worse to them, like actually report them for the HIPPA violation.

    As a person, I'm annoyed.  What if that was my phone call someone overheard with really personal details?  I don't want my BFF to know how my papsmear went, no matter how close we are.

  • I would tell the Dr, in a way that yes, he should know what's going on in his office. I doubt he would knowingly tolerate that.
  • I'd probably tell the friend-on-the-phone that the staff there is not safeguarding her privacy, so she could switch providers.

    I'd leave the doctor's office and their staff to their own devices, since that's presumably not whom we really care about here.

  • What are the chances that she would know the person they were talking about? What a small world.

    Yes, she should tell. I don't know how. I am no help.

    I agree with everything that muddled said. You should listen to her. -ESDReturns
  • She should tell the doctor AND her friend. Both deserve to know. What if BFF's MIL was standing there getting all the dirt?

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • imagefussbucket:

    I'd probably tell the friend-on-the-phone that the staff there is not safeguarding her privacy, so she could switch providers.

    This, too. I'd want to know.

    I agree with everything that muddled said. You should listen to her. -ESDReturns
  • Medical office manager here...YES please tell someone. If not the doctor then the practice manager. I would want to know if one of my front desk staff were doing that, it's one of the things I harp on all the time with the staff and it's so easy for it to happen since they are taking phone calls while other patients are standing there.
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic You gotta get spanked by a lot of frogs...
  • If it were you they were talking about, wouldn' tyou want someone to say something?  Of course your friend should talk to the dr.

    I was at the endocrinologist once, sitting in the three quarters full waiting room. A nurse came out and called someone up to the desk by full name, then proceeded to tell this woman her diagnosis (adenosarcoma), her prognosis, when her next appointment was and what kind of drugs they were going to be prescribing for her. She was just standing there stunned. I was called in to my appointment and gave the doctor the entire run down on a complaint card (including the lady's full name and diagnosis) I found in the exam room and left, without seeing him except to hand him the card. It was appalling.

    SO SINGS MY SOUL *WHAM!* MY SAVIOR GOD TO THEE *WHAM!* HOW GREAT THOU ART *WHAM!* HOW GREAT THOU ART *WHAM!*
  • imagestarburst604:
    Medical office manager here...YES please tell someone. If not the doctor then the practice manager. I would want to know if one of my front desk staff were doing that, it's one of the things I harp on all the time with the staff and it's so easy for it to happen since they are taking phone calls while other patients are standing there.

    This! OMG. Find out how to report a HIPPA violation. This needs to be stopped, what an idiot.

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