Your hospital records have been accessed without your concent?

Answer 1

HIPAA privacy policies can often be confusing and frustrating for patients. I have worked in the health industry for years and one of the main issues is that patients seem to think their medical records are their property. They are not. They are the property of the provider, physician or facility that treated the patient. However, it is that facility, provider or physician who are then responsible for protecting that information. Privacy laws allow certain individuals to have access to your medical records without your consent. These individuals include insurance companies, other physicians and facilities that are treating you in the interest of continuity of care, state and federal agencies that are required to be notified of contagious diseases, etc. The best thing for you to do is to first determine who has obtained the information and if they are lawfully allowed to have it. The link below may help you in determining this. If it turns out that the information was unlawfully obtained, you may want to consult with a lawyer about the individual who obtained it and the hospital who released it. http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/index.html One final thought: If there are particular doctors or individuals, whatever, you do NOT want to have access to your medical records. Contact the hospital's records department and provide them a medical release authorization that specifically states those who are NOT to have your information. Sign and date it.