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HHS revamps health privacy rules

Hospital Safety Connection, February 20, 2003

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The Department of Health and Human Services on February 13 announced new privacy rules that give hospital patients the ability to keep their conditions confidential.

The new privacy standards under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act prohibit disclosure without patient permission of information for reasons not related to health care. Violators will face civil and criminal penalties. The rules take effect April 14.

Hospitals must revise their privacy policies, including the way they release patient information to family members, friends, and the media. Some hospitals may delay the release of information while others may not give it out at all.

The new standards require hospitals to inform patients if they have patient directories and give them the opportunity to opt out. If the patient does not want information released, the hospital cannot even release whether the patient is in the facility. If the patient agrees to be listed, hospitals may release only limited information.

For more information on the privacy rules, go to http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

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