LAFD Hiding Behind HIPAA

[MESDA6]

LAFD Mum on Public Information About Fires, Traffic Accidents, Emergencies | NBC Los Angeles


The politics involved in this have got to be fascinating.

 

[kitn1mcc]

yeah there twitter feed was great now its garbage

 

[dovy6]

Goddamn lawyers!


I was under the impression that anything I can hear on the radio (call location, call type) is public information and not covered by hippa. Is this not true?

 

[Quentin]

Goddamn lawyers!
I was under the impression that anything I can hear on the radio (call location, call type) is public information and not covered by hippa. Is this not true?

I thought so too? maybe if a 3rd party was to post it, it would be okay. kinda like IPN? :: IPN :: General Information FAQ

 

[dovy6]

So if anyone knows the address the FD is dispatched to the FD is allowed to then disseminate that information?

 

[dovy6]

So if it turns out this it IS PHI, every single EMS agency across the nation will be required to change to an encrypted radio system?

 

[bshockme]

So if it turns out this it IS PHI, every single EMS agency across the nation will be required to change to an encrypted radio system?

No, this is incidental disclosure, and is permitted per the law. OCR has gone so far as to specifically say that entities have no duty to encrypt communications that can be intercepted by scanner.


Personally, I don't see how this could be construed as PHI, as it isn't personally identifiable, and likely didn't contain any health information other than that there was a medical call at an address. If it gave specifics of a patient, I could see that being an issue, but I don't believe this is the case.

 

[dovy6]

Gotcha, thanks.


Addresses are inherently public information, right? Otherwise how could you have a phone book. I agree with you, I dont see a call type and an address as PHI, but again I'm no lawyer...