History

• On August 21, 1996, the United States Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which provided medical security for millions of Americans, according to HIPPA PS. This act ensures that medical information is kept private, reinforcing doctor patient confidentiality. The HIPAA requires a release of information form in order for providers to transfer medical information from the patient to a third party. In 2003, a further revision of this act levied fines on health care providers, who violated patient privacy.
  
  

Features

• While a release form for medical information varies between medical institutions, three major sections exist. The first section includes boxes for personal information such as a name and an address. Under the second section, patients will list the physician who will release the information. In the third section, patients write down who they want their information transferred to. The form may include a few additional questions, and the patient signs his consent at the bottom of the form.
  
  

Benefits

• Keeping medical records confidential protects the rights of patients. With open access to medical records, an employer could discriminate against a terminally ill employee. Since patients usually place sensitive information on their forms, such as their address and Social Security number, identity thieves could gain access to the financial information of patients in the absence of privacy safeguards.
  
  

Considerations

• A lawyer representing an injured client will have to have the signed consent of the client before receiving medical records from a hospital. A patient visiting a new doctor will use a release form for medical information, in order to transfer data between practitioners. A health insurance company may require you to sign a medical release in order to determine whether you suffer from preexisting health conditions.
  
  

Misconceptions

• A medical release form differs from a release of medical information form. While a release of medical information transfers data between two entities, a medical release form releases an entity from damages related to medical injury. For example, a summer camp for children may require parents to sign a medical release form, which states that the camp will not be liable for any medical damages if their child is injured. A medical release form would also provide camp counselors with the authority to seek emergency medical attention for an injured child.