Confused: Is this a HIPPA Violation?

by Lauren

My mom and stepfather went to pick up their prescriptions from the pharmacy today and the pharmacists thought that my parents had left the store so they proceeded to talk about them, called stupid and saying if my stepdad lost weight he would not have such high blood pressure. My mom was still in the store and overheard every word of the conversation. Is this a violation of HIPPA laws?

Answer: Well, it is definitely unprofessional. The HIPPA law deals with protected health information and how that information is handled. If the pharmacists were talking about your stepdad so that other customers could hear them and mentioned his name and specific medications or medical conditions that he had, that is definitely questionable. If you feel that something needs to be done about this situation, you could try calling your state Board of Pharmacy. Good luck!