Ok s I had typed up a paper to my Psychologist. It had personal information written within the paper. I had gone to the receptionist counter at the Eugene Oregon VA on River Ave and told the receptionist that I had a paper to give my counselor (psychologist). The woman asked me my last name and last four of my social security. I told her. I then wrote a note on the paper referring to a point within the paper I was making about an incident that had happened involving another VA employee who I thought had breached confidential information and its topic.
I handed the paper to the receptionist saying that I would like it put in the inbox of my doctor. She then looked at the paper and started to read it out loud while other veterans and one of her co workers was near by and could then hear what she was reading out loud. I left upset. I thought about what she was doing and called the clinic later. I realized that I should have told her that the paper was not for her to read and it pertained to personal information witch had nothing to do with her.
So I called in and asked for her supervisor. I got a woman who asked me what the problem was. I told her that the receptionist had read a personal paper containing confidential information out loud and I thought she was not authorized to do this as others would hear what was contained in the paper. The woman told me that the receptionist was probably trying to help me. I was not comfortable with that answer and said that I needed to talk to some one. The woman told me that I could talk to the patient advocate in Roseburg Oregon VA.
I then said that I was not comfortable with the the woman doing such things and asked if I could talk to her supervisor. The woman then said well we don't need some one cracking whips around here trying to control us. On top of that she said that there was no supervisor in that clinic and that I would have to talk to the patient advocate in Roseburg Oregon. I called the Patient advocate in Roseburg VA and left a message and never heard back from that person. Basically I was treated like I was the problem and it's ok for VA employees to break the law and the Veterans are just going to have to live with it.
I am not comfortable with this. I am not comfortable with the receptionist reading my personal feelings about a personal matter that is between me and my counselor out loud in the waiting area so others can hear it. And I am not comfortable with being told that the Eugene VA clinic on River ave has no supervisor. Thats a crock. Basically you are told to go screw yourself if you complain. So remember if you need to get some confidential information to your doctor you should make an appointment with that Doctor then hand it to the doctor personally. Other wise people int he front counter area will know about your life or personal matters.
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