"Privacy Act" getting ridiculous
 

Now fellow providers, I am 100% for patient privacy. I advocate it wholehaeartedly and have put pen to paper more than once when one of my medics has violated that trust with the inevitable " guess who had a flashlight in their butt"circulated around the barracks.
BUT...this whole HIPAA set of standards is downright ridiculous.
The most recent case that has absolutely steamed my britches...
I have a service member stationed in Vietnam who needed medicine for a known condition that I diagnosed him and am treating him for...HE IS MY PATIENT.
So, we had a bird flying to Vietnam this weekend...I put in his prescription with the ote that the prescribing provider would pick up for delivery to the deployed patient.
DENIED!
I couldn't understand it...so I call the MILITARY pharmacy and ask...
"Sir, due to the HIPAA and privacy acts, you cannot pick up medication for anyone without their ID card." Huh?!? He is my patient, I wrote the prescription, I diagnosed his problem...there is nothing relating to this condition that is not covered in HIS and MY confidential patient provider relationship...
"Sorry Sir, we cannot help you"
Well hell...this was a pickle...
So, what to do...how far to go to get him his meds that he absolutely NEEDS...
XXXXXXXX, then shot out a message to the patient with what had to happen to get him his meds and put them on the plane.
Does this seem a bit STUPID to anyone else???
I invite discussion...

The Eagle

DAMN!: By NDD

Eagle...
I misread your post the first time. Can you not write it for "floor stock" in your clinic and then dispense from your clinic on a prn basis (in this case a full Rx worth)?


**edited to change answer after rereading the original post

Unfortunately no...that practice has been discontinued here for all meds including OTC's...the particular med I was writing for on this pt was a BetaBlocker...

Can be very frustrating...

Eagle

HIPPA is the best of intentions taken way too far. It obstructs patient care, research...all sorts of things. I don't think you'll get any feedback in favor of the changes... so not much discussion will be generated.

doc t.