Changes to HIPAA are be on the way. Providers need to consider these changes to best prepare and implement best practices. Proposed changes include:
- Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Records: With this change, a patient would no longer have to give specific permission for each use and/or disclosure, but instead could give broad approval for their SUD records to be shared with providers for treatment, payment and healthcare operations. It still must be limited to the minimum necessary information and the patient always has the right to revoke the authorization at any time in writing.
- Time a Provider has to Provider Patent Access to Medical Records: With this change, the time would decrease from thirty (30) days to fifteen (15) days.
- Photographing Medical Records: This proposed change would allow patients to take pictures of their medical information while inspecting those records at the provider’s facility. If this change takes effect, providers need to be careful of patients potentially obtaining information about others that they should not have access to.
We will be following updates from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services on these changes. If you have questions on how to best protect patient data and avoid HIPAA violations, contact one of our Health Law attorneys today.
