Discuss the questions listed after you have read the scenario. What do you think will happen to Sloan, and why does he think that medical records are not as important as other parts of the clinic? Talk about some of the mistakes you think could be made, and how to avoid them. Why is each part of the clinic, clinical, administrative, physicians and assistants important to the overall care of the clinic and the patient? How would you feel in this situation?
Jennifer has decided that Sloan is just not a good match for the practice. One week before Sloan's probationary period is up, Jennifer brings her into the office to talk. She reminds Sloan that she originally was hired to work in the administrative part of the office. She explains that, although Sloan's desire and enthusiasm for the clinical side were evident, Jennifer did not feel that Sloan was addressing her duties in a responsible way and that her work ethic needed improvement. Jennifer reminded Sloan of the patient's record she had accessed and explained that this was a breach of patient confidentiality and medical ethics.
Sloan was clearly affected by Jennifer's evaluation of her work. She opened up to Jennifer and expressed her remorse that she had waited so long after graduation to look for employment. She also said that she was beginning to feel desperate for a job and felt that she needed to take the administrative job in hopes of later getting the position she wanted. Sloan apologized for accessing the patient's record and said she understood that this breach alone was grounds for immediate termination.
Jennifer was impressed that Sloan was able to admit her mistakes and feel remorse for them. She agreed to allow Sloan to volunteer at the clinic in the back office two afternoons a week until she found permanent employment. Sloan was thankful that Jennifer was willing to help her reach her career goals. She said she would take the knowledge of her mistakes to heart and work very hard for Jennifer as a volunteer. Jennifer reiterated to Sloan that her breach of confidentiality would be a difficult issue to overcome in future employment.