Tacoma area patients have right to expect medical providers to be vaccinated
I would like to preface the experience I’m about to share by thanking the frontline workers who have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers continue to care for all of us, even when some individuals make decisions that can increase health risks.
Recently, I arrived at the Carol Milgard Breast Center in Tacoma for an appointment scheduled months in advance. I called twice to make sure the technician assigned to me was vaccinated against COVID-19. I was assured that my request would be accommodated.
The young woman scheduled to perform my mammogram was wearing a blue disposable mask. When I asked if she was vaccinated, she responded, “That’s a HIPAA violation,” and asked me to step into a room for privacy.
I informed her that I thought she was misinterpreting the federal law that protects patient privacy. She responded: “You’re not allowed to ask me that.”
She was very polite and went on to disclose that she was not vaccinated. I thanked her and left without having the test completed.
Later, I spoke with a manager over the phone. She said patients have the right to ask about vaccination status, but healthcare workers are not obligated to share this information.
She also told me that TRA Medical Imaging “strongly encourages” its employees to get vaccinated, but “you cannot force someone to put something in their body.“
This manager was apologetic and offered to reschedule my appointment with a vaccinated technician, but I had already decided to go elsewhere.
When I called the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, the scheduler was surprised when I asked if the technicians were vaccinated. She responded: “I did not even consider that they may not be vaccinated, but let me ask the manager.”
After a couple of minutes, she confirmed that the technician working the day of my appointment was fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The way this question was handled by two different facilities was like night and day.
Recent articles have explained that it is not a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to inquire about someone’s vaccination status. On the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website, patients are not listed under covered entities.
In a recent survey conducted by the American Medical Association, 96% of US physicians reported being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Researchers at the University of Michigan found that physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and physician assistants reported high vaccine acceptance; however, nurses and other healthcare workers (with and without patient contact) reported much more vaccine hesitancy.
This is concerning. Healthcare workers have an ethical duty to protect those who come to them for care. Beneficence and non-maleficence are the core of medical ethics.
When a healthcare worker does not get vaccinated, the potential exists for herd immunity in the workplace to be affected and patient safety may be compromised.
As consumers of healthcare, we have the right to expect healthcare workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, especially when a procedure involves close contact in an enclosed space for 10-15 minutes at a time.
Women who have mammograms are generally older and may have conditions that further increase their vulnerability to the virus.
Unvaccinated workers should at least be required to wear personal protective equipment that offers patients more protection than a blue disposable mask.
While healthcare workers may not be required to disclose vaccination status, patients have the right to make an informed decision about their own safety.
Lack of transparency takes this choice away.
Cheryl Hardy-Gostin is a licensed physical therapist and resident of Gig Harbor.