HIPAA Q&A: Disclosing a patient's death
HIPAA Weekly Advisor, April 19, 2010
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Q. May we tell residents in our long-term care facility that another resident has died when they inquire? From our perspective, they should know because they are part of the long-term care family and need to grieve and/or discuss the loss. Do we need to obtain permission from families/designated representatives?
A. You may disclose limited information to individuals who inquire about patients by name. This would include a patient’s location in the facility, discharge, or death. You don’t need the family’s permission to disclose this information, unless the patient had requested “no information” status.
Editor’s note: Mary Brandt, president of Bellaire, TX-based Brandt & Associates, LLC, answered this question. This is not legal advice. Consult your attorney regarding legal matters.
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