Health Information Privacy Reconsidered

With permission, I am sharing a recent anecdote from a nurse colleague who lives with and is responsible for the care of her frail elderly parents, both of whom are ill. One day recently, my colleague was delayed returning home, so she texted the home health aide to let her know she would be late. Although a telephone call to the aide would have been acceptable, my colleague was quickly and harshly chastised by the healthcare system for violating or causing the home health aide to violate her mother's privacy under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) by texting.