HIPAA Requirements for Hospitals

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), passed in 1996 and strengthened by the American Investment and Recovery Act of 2009, protects the medical privacy of Americans. While HIPPA applies to most health care providers, hospitals are exposed to more privacy issues than other medical providers.

Protected Information

• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), hospitals can't disclose medical records, doctor-patient conversations, medical tests or a medical diagnosis to a third-party, such as an employer. Medical records, however, may be shared with the patient's health insurance for billing purposes and with other medical personnel treating the patient.

Patient Location and General Condition

• The HIPPA Act, according to HHS, allows hospitals to inform visitors and callers of the location of the patient and her general condition. The hospital may also inform the visitors if the patient has been released or died.

Clergy

• According to HHS, hospitals may release a patient's location and religious affiliation to clergy, if the patient has consented.

Organ and Tissue Donors/ Research

• According to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital, patient medical records can be released to organ donation organizations and researchers looking for research participants.