Hippa Laws and Mailing me My own Sleep Study

[LisaSch]

I just asked my doctor office to mail me a PDF of my sleep study. My sister got hers mailed to her in AZ. Is this against Hippa Laws?

[Janknitz]

No, it's not. It belongs to YOU and that's part of what HIPAA was meant to protect.

Make your request in writing, be sure to date it and sign it. In the body of the letter, instruct them as to how you'd like to receive it (mail, email, fax, etc.)

That absolves them of any liability for sending it to you.

[oak]

absolutely not. HIPPA ensures it is your legal right to this information. good luck. did they sound cooperative?

[LisaSch]

No, she was like, "We cannot do that. It is against the Hippa Laws" I thought it was BS. Another topic for my doctor.

[oak]

it might be against the law to email it instead of mailing it. dont know. but what i did is pick it up in person from medical records office since when i saw the doc they copied it and left off the last two pages!!!

[JDS74]

No, she was like, "We cannot do that. It is against the Hippa Laws" I thought it was BS. Another topic for my doctor.

Lisa,

If you were phoning in and asking, then she was probably correct. The doctor's office needs to have a written document requesting a copy of the report so they can document why they sent out a copy. Sometimes doctor's offices have an internal policy of not giving out reports until the doc has reviewed it. That may be the case here but that is easily resolved by giving them a written request and you'll get a copy in a little while. That does not apply to the sleep lab. There, it's your record and, if it is available, they will give you a copy.

It would be easier to go to the sleep lab and request a copy from their medical records office. They will have you fill out a request form and give you a copy. They may ask you why you want the copy, and, if your regular PCP is not your sleep doctor, you could reply that you needed a copy so you could discuss it with your PCP - that's called continuity of care and many records offices don't charge if that's the reason.

[sawinglogz]

According to HIPAA regs, they need a signed, written request. You can fax it or mail it or do it in person.

Varying organizations have specific requirements about what needs to be in the request, but in general, they'll want:

• Your authorization and signature
• What specific records are being request, including the date of the service/treatment
• Where you want them sent

They may very well not be allowed to email a PDF in unencrypted form. In general they'll be able to fax it, mail it, or hand it to you in person.

Some clinics now also have secure web portals that might streamline some of this and possibly provide you an electronic copy in an encrypted web session.

[LisaSch]

Seems she could have told me to Fax over consent. They did not give it to me last time so I will get the print outs but I wanted to be able to share parts of it.

[CpapDude2012]

Would hippa apply to an sd card download? Can it be sent in the mail or email?

[JamesAllen828]

Would hippa apply to an sd card download? Can it be sent in the mail or email?

Yes. HIPPA applies to SD card downloads because on the readout the Pt's name and information are printed on the top of the download. You would have to give written consent to email or mail specific items to your address/email. Most places use a blanket consent that you fill out when you do your new pt. forms but some are changing to specific consent forms to where you have to fill out a consent to release information for each item that you want out of your medical record.