Scenario:
You are the ROI coordinator. You are having a busy day today and are facing a variety of ROI situations. How should you handle the situations described below and what, if any, additional information will you need? If you will need to provide copies of the medical record, explain which forms (information) you would provide. Include dates if appropriate.
1. A patient just called. The patient has an appointment at her doctor’s office in 1 hour and wants copies of the records to take to the office. The hospital has a policy that requires a 48-hour notice except in medical emergencies. The patient did not specify what records she needs.
2. A patient has requested that his charts be sent to Disability Determinations 3 times and that department has not received them. Your records show that they have been sent twice. The patient is very upset.
3. An FBI agent shows up and flashes a badge at you. He demands that you release a patient’s chart to him immediately.
4. Dr. Lawrence calls and requests a copy of the medical record on Stephanie Smith. The records show that Dr. Jones was the patient’s physician. Dr. Jones and Dr. Lawrence are not partners.
5. You receive a subpoena requesting your presence in court. You do not want to appear, so you talk to the court clerk. The subpoena specifies all charts for a patient for the period of June 2004 to September 2011. The hospital has records for the period of April 1975 to the present.
6. You receive a subpoena requesting the entire medical record for the 3/2/12 admission of Mary Taylor.
7. You receive a subpoena to appear in court and to bring a specific medical record. You are scheduled to testify tomorrow. How will you prepare? What guidelines will you follow in testifying?
8. You receive a subpoena for Mary Taylor’s medical record. When the record is pulled and reviewed, you realize that she is HIV positive.
9. Today a patient requested a copy of all of his records to take to his attorney. Your policy prohibits records from being released without a 24-hour notice, except for patient care. You explain the situation and the patient becomes extremely hostile.
10. A mother requests a discharge summary of her daughter’s record (6/6/12 discharge). The daughter’s record shows that she delivered a baby during this admission.
11. Dr. Smith requests his wife’s medical record.
