When can information about a client be divulged?

Answer 1

1. All information may be revealed to health care providers working directly in support of the patients psycho-medical well being. The patient may legally ask that this information be restricted. The provider must either comply or inform the patient that they will not comply with this request.
2. Some patient Information may be revealed to groups inside the provider's organization in order to collect payment. This information is subject to the Minimum Necessary test.
3. The Provider must upon request provide all patient information to the patient, or submit reasons that this cannot be accomplished. And it needs to be a GOOD reason, as the law requires that the patient have full access to their own record. The exception to this are Psychotherapy Notes, which may be held back from the patient in cases where it is generally believed that the patients access to the Psych Notes would be detrimental to their health.
4. The Provider has the option of revealing to the proper authorities any indication of future crimes the patient plans to commit.
5. The Provider must report gunshot wounds to law enforcement.
6. The provider may (or may not, depending on jurisdiction) be required to report indications of child abuse to Law Enforcement.
7. The provider must divulged patient information to the courts or Grand Jury upon receipt of a properly formatted court order or subpoena or GJ Subpoena.
8. The provider may reveal patient information to government agencies upon receipt of an Administrative Request prepared in writing.
9. The provider may opt to reveal patient information to the proper authorities upon being advised that the investigation is a matter of State Security (note that this should be in writing and may well be challenged if it's ever actually invoked).
10. The provider may reveal information about the patient if that information is evidence of a crime the provider actually witnesses in their presence (not tested as of this writing in cases where the patient is not accused of any crime).
11. The provider must, upon receipt of a properly formatted Authorization from the patient, reveal patient information to the patients appointee. See the HIPAA text for this somewhat demanding format. Exceptions are as above (see Psych Notes).
12. The provider must reveal all patient information available to the patient, to the patients Personal Representative, as defined in CFR 54 164.502(g)(2).
13. The provider may reveal patient information to third party if (1) that third party is helping the provider maintain operations, and the third party has signed a Business Associates Agreement, limiting them in a civil sense to all the confidentiality requirements necessary for the provider, as specified under HIPAA.
14. Limitations exist individual by State law in cases of child patients, mental health, sexually transmitted diseases, abortion, substance addition and various other issues that would, if known, prevent the patient from finding proper medical care. These exceptions must all be "more strict" in favor of the patients confidentiality than HIPAA for them to supersede HIPAA.
15. The provider may reveal deidentified information that does not reveal either directly or by reasonable inference the identity of the patient.