While at lunch, a medical assistant discusses with a colleague their concerns about another medical assistant’s competence based on several instances of alleged inaccurate documentation of vital signs. The colleague later repeats this to the individual in question, emphasizing that the original communicator questioned their professional capability. If the discussed medical assistant's performance is found to be consistently within the standard of care after an investigation, which legal issue might come into focus?
The person who repeated the statement might be sued for libel.
The discussed medical assistant could be liable for negligence.
The discussing medical assistant may face a slander lawsuit.
The colleague could be held responsible for a HIPAA violation.