Releasing information to law enforcement
Compliance Monitor, August 11, 2006
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Q: Can we notify police when our hospital discharges a patient who is a suspect or has a warrant out for his or her arrest?
A: HIPAA allows you to disclose limited information to law enforcement officials to help them identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person. Because this patient is a suspect, you may notify law enforcement of the date and time of treatment, which could include the date and time of discharge.
To limit the curiosity of other patients and visitors, many hospitals ask law enforcement officials to wait outside the hospital and arrest the patient outside the lobby or in the parking lot, as hospital staff escort him or her out.
Thanks to Mary Brandt, president of Bellaire, TX-based Brandt & Associates, LLC for answering this question. This is not legal advice. Consult your attorney for legal matters.
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