E/M Coding Alert - 2023 Issue 16
Reader Questions: Know the Facts on Sharing Family Medical History
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Article Overview
This reader Q&A addresses privacy and disclosure issues related to family medical history in the medical record. It is aimed at healthcare providers, coders, and compliance staff who need a general understanding of HIPAA/PHI handling, patient rights over record information, and the limited exception noted for psychotherapy notes. The article discusses the role of HHS OCR guidance and describes broad circumstances in which information may be shared within care relationships.
Why This Topic Matters
Understanding how family medical history is classified and controlled under HIPAA helps organizations handle patient records consistently and avoid improper disclosure.
What You Will Learn
- How family medical history is treated once it becomes part of a medical record
- Who controls disclosure rights for information in a patient record
- The general privacy exception noted for psychotherapy notes
- The role of HHS OCR guidance in explaining HIPAA privacy issues
Who Should Read This
- Healthcare providers
- Medical coders
- Compliance staff
- Privacy and release-of-information staff
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