Family & Children’s Center often receives requests for the release of confidential information.
If you receive such a request, you must adhere to the following procedure.
- Each program will have a designated staff person who will process record requests. This person will be trained to verify whether or not authorization to release or disclose Protected Health Information is valid according to state and federal (HIPAA) laws.
- If the authorization is not valid, the designated staff will send the Authorization request back to the requestor along with a letter stating the reasons the request was denied.
- If the authorization is valid, the designated staff will make copies of ONLY the requested information (minimum necessary), review the records, redact any information that cannot be shared with the requestor (i.e. information regarding a third party or another client), stamp the information to be released, document the disclosure, and mail or fax the information to the requestor along with a bill for copying costs and postage, if applicable.
- The designated staff will then file the documentation of the disclosure in the client’s record.
- For more information, please see Procedure #401 in the Quality Improvement Procedure Manual.