Hippa

Published

Is is a HIPPA violation for a student/employee of a hospital to view their own medical record?

Yes, unless you sign a release of information just as any other patient does.

This is a requirement of HIPAA now, but most facilities have required it for years. In some places, it is actually grounds for dismissal to review your own records, since you are not your patient. Be careful when accessing any files, if not those of your patient.

I explained it to some people like this: you have a right to the information in your FBI file, but you can't just hack into their computers and take it. For that, you would go to jail.

The record belongs to the "covered entity". There might be information in the file that you have no legal right to access. Seems strange, but that's the law.

Health

Insurance

Portability &

Accountability

Act

+ Join the Discussion