@chelle21689 – I obviously still stand by the advice I gave earlier, if you indeed want to say something, but don’t want it to mushroom out of control.
On the other hand, I think it’s really very incredibly and absolutely critical to consider what @Kayak8 pointed out. I realize the description you posted was limited, and that may signify that your info is limited, or it may just mean that (like many of us) you didn’t want to type an entire novel just for a single question.
But in either case, it may be a wise move to step back and consider what is actually being said, and by whom. Clearly if you felt compelled to pose a question about it, then it’s at the very least something that’s weighing on your mind. But while it’s certainly true that HIPPA violations are a big deal, it’s also pretty important to have all the information before you go talking to the hospital.
Additionally, there may be other issues here (besides potential HIPPA violations) that are an even bigger deal to you, personally, such your friendship with this woman’s daughter.
With regard to @meagan‘s comments about the issue being blown out of proportion, I think (again) that it’s important to take a step back and consider the larger picture. Yes, many people talk to their family about what’s going on at their jobs in the hospital, and by-and-large their families probably don’t repeat it, and it just ends there. But it’s also perfectly valid for you feel uncomfortable about the whole town knowing your medical history, and you’re perfectly entitled to be want to take action.
If there was a single piece of advice that I could give you, it would be to simply think, long and hard before you do anything that you might regret. Not for the sake of your friend, or for her mom, but for your own sake, and for the sake of this 11 year friendship, and for the sake of not misrepresenting what may or may not have been said.
In short, think before you act, and you’ll likely make a better decision in the end.