NEHAL Hospital

Introduction

Hospitals and health systems are responsible for protecting the privacy and confidentiality of their patients and patient information. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) mandated regulations that govern privacy standards for health care information. HIPAA regulations specify the purposes for which information may and may not be released without authorization from the patient. This document updates our 2001 Guidelines for Releasing Information on the Condition of Patients. This revised edition ensures that our suggestions are consistent with the final changes to the HIPAA medical privacy regulations published in August 2002, as well as the guidance document released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in December 2002. These updated guidelines:

focus on how and when to release patient information to the media
contain advice about releasing information to family members, other hospitals, relief agencies and the media in everyday and disaster situations
This information is provided only as a guideline. Consult with legal counsel before finalizing any policy on the release of patient information. Also, be aware that health care facilities must comply with state privacy laws. Contact your legal counsel or your state hospital association for further information about the application of state and federal medical privacy laws to the release of patient information.