Moving records and HIPAA

I'm wondering if anyone else has had the same problem we are having. Within our ward boundaries, we have a couple group homes. Both are for individuals with special needs. We occasionally have membership records show up for people at these addresses. When we contact the facility, we are told that they cannot confirm or deny if that individual is living at the facility. In the cases where we know the individual was there, but then moved, the facility is unable to give any sort of forwarding address due to HIPAA regulations. In some cases we have been able to contact the parents (if they are members). But they aren't always members and in some cases we are dealing with elderly people whose parents have passed away long ago. I feel like I should be doing due diligence before sending records back without an address, but I'm not even certain what due diligence looks like in this case. All of the usual suggestions really don't work here. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Are you able to send a ward council member to visit in person, to see if the address is correct?

That sometimes works if the person is still at the facility. But if the person is no longer at the facility, they will not give out any information about that person.

The only thing I can think of is preventative - make sure they have active HT/VT. And perhaps regular visits to take them the sacrament. Once the home gets used to the regular visits, I'd think they're more likely to see you as part of the person's social group and at least give hints on where to find them. Where there are HIPAA rules, I'd think most organizations recognize the important of social contact for their patients and be as helpful as they are allowed to - as opposed to some strange voice on the phone.

This might be a situation where the best chance would be to send the bishop to visit to open the way. I'd think the staff would be accommodating to a "priest" looking after one of his flock than the usual HT/VT. But then, never underestimate the power of the Relief Society. <grin>

It may also be worth a call to the prior ward to see what contacts/information they might be able to provide.

russellhltn wrote:This might be a situation where the best chance would be to send the bishop to visit to open the way. I'd think the staff would be accommodating to a "priest" looking after one of his flock than the usual HT/VT.

That could be tired but as sympathetic as the staff may be, they probably won't provide the information. In my work we have to have yearly training on HIPAA and the penalties can be severe so staff is probably not going to risk it.