We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Medical Records Privacy?

Mary McMahon
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 3,298
Share

Medical records privacy is an area of privacy which pertains to medical records. Many nations have specific laws about the privacy of medical records which dictate when these records can be shared and used, and how. These laws can get extremely complicated, and people with specific privacy concerns would be well advised to talk to a lawyer or a health care professional about their areas of concern to make sure that they are addressed.

Medical records contain a great deal of personal information. Some people may be uncomfortable with having such information shared because they prefer to keep their medical condition private, while others may be concerned about issues such as discrimination on the basis of medical issues. In recognition of the fact that people prefer privacy, governments have enacted a number of laws covering medical records privacy.

Most privacy laws dictate that information in medical records cannot be distributed without the consent of the patient. However, the issue is not this simple. Patients may not always be able to control the extent of their consent, as seen when someone signs a blanket waiver without realizing that the waiver allows full access to medical records, and as seen when doctor's offices pass on medical records by request from other doctors. Privacy breaches can also occur when records are subpoenaed for legal cases.

One way to control medical records privacy is to be very careful about signing any forms pertaining to insurance or medical records. For example, an insurer may ask for a signed waiver so that it can verify medical information before approving a policy. A consumer could rewrite the waiver or ask for time to examine it carefully rather than simply signing it. Likewise, a patient could enter a written request into a medical file which indicates that information about a particular condition should not be released without explicit consent from the patient.

People may also want to be aware that information can be shared in surprising ways. For example, pharmacies upload data about their clients to central databases. This information is used to maintain information about how many refills someone has, to identify situations in which people are attempting to abuse the system, and so forth. Someone who patronizes a pharmacy in a network should know that information about prescriptions and information disclosed to the pharmacist is stored in a central database and shared with other stores. Likewise, people who participate in preventative screenings such as blood tests offered at a drugstore may be surprised to know that information about attendees of such events is sold to direct marketing companies.

Patients concerned about medical records privacy may want to specifically ask how their records will and can be used. If they are concerned about violations of medical records privacy, they can ask about options to control access.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Mary McMahon
By Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGeek researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a...

Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-medical-records-privacy.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.