(State of TN) I notarized an affidavit for a physican's exam today and was challenged by the office manager. The certificate was on the last page and the only remainder of the document was something to the effect of "to the best of my knowledge, (signature line for physician) (date) and my certificate. Essentially a loose certificate.
When I asked to see the rest of the document the office manager sternly said "That is a HIPAA issue and you can't see that part". I said that I would basically be stamping a certificate that could be attached to ANYTHING and I at least needed to be shown the title and date of the document. After explaining my position she covered the patient's record and with a huff showed me the title and the patient's name on the form (my client that hired and paid me).
I over-documented everything in my journal and had the Dr. Initial and date the first page at the top. I wrote "Attached to Affidavit of Physician's Exam of (client name)" under my seal. I still feel awkward about this one.
What's the best way to handle HIPAA issues like this?
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