Question

Augusta Clinic has requested the Furr Hospital send its health records from Helena Smith's most recent admission to the clinic for her follow-up appointment. Which of the following statements is true?

a) Furr Hospital can disclose the records without patient consent
b) Augusta Clinic needs written patient consent for record transfer
c) Helena Smith must personally collect her records
d) Only a summary of the records can be shared

Answer 1

Furr Hospital can disclose Helena Smith's health records to Augusta Clinic without patient consent under HIPAA's healthcare operations provisions, which allows for such coordination of care.

Step-by-step explanation:

Regarding the transfer of health records from Furr Hospital to Augusta Clinic for Helena Smith's follow-up appointment, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has provisions for healthcare operations including the coordination of care. Therefore, Furr Hospital can disclose the records without patient consent to another healthcare provider for purposes related to treatment. However, specific state laws and hospital policies may have additional requirements regarding written consent. In general, unless otherwise required, a full transfer of medical records can be done for continuity of care purposes without the need for the patient to personally collect the records or restrict the transfer to only a summary.