protected health information (PHI)

Introduction

Protected health information may be used for:

• treatment
• payment
• operations (teaching, medical staff/peer review, auditing, customer service, busuness management)
• hospital directories
• public health & safety reporting
• other reporting required by government; i.e. cases of abuse
• supoenas, trials & other legal proceedings

Authorization for release of PHI for other uses must:

• describe the PHI to be released
• identify whou may release the PHI
• identify who may receive the PHI
• describe the purposes of the disclosure
• identify when the authorization expires
• be signed by the patient/patient representative