Blasé attitude about a serious breech of privacy
My relative was recently my placed in a nursing home. To learn how he could be tested for Alzheimers I called my Mercy Health doctor's office. I told the individual who answered the subject (Alzheimers tests), my name and phone number, and asked for a call back to MY number. Instead of calling me back, someone called a person who has not been my contact for years. (Obviously the doctor's office call center was never updated with the correct POC information.) Regardless, the person called received a voicemail and was referred to as the "caregiver for Alzheimers patient named [MY name]". First, there was no justification for a call to anyone about me. Second, the individual called was unauthorized to be contacted about me for any reason. Third, I don't have nor do I need a caregiver and I am NOT an Alzheimers' patient. The false information in the voicemail and the breech of my privacy caused many issues! This person who has not been my POC for years contacted several others and unknowingly further spread false information about me. My (now former) doctor never apologized about calling an unauthorized contact, for the voicemail of false information, or even the unwarranted call to someone other than, as I had requested, to me. Eventually a Mercy Hospitals' "privacy" representative left me a voicemail. Six minutes later I returned her call. She did not answer, nor did she respond to my voicemail. I called again three weeks ago, left another voicemail, and she still has not responded. More recently I sent a message through Mercy Hospitals' website recounting the major breech of privacy and lack of response from the doctor and the Mercy Hospital "privacy" individuals. NO RESPONSE. My inclination is to contact an attorney. Their blasé attitude about spreading false information and violating both my privacy and our personal privacy laws is inexcusable. I am not an employee but I as a past patient was affiliated with Mercy Health Care.
Heatherwisp
Ohio