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Sheridan
Memorial Medical Records
Medical Records Release Form
The Medical Records department functions include: admissions of
patients, responsible for all patient medical records, retrieving and
storing the medical records in a patient file, release of personal
health information and protecting confidentiality of all personal
health information according to the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, transcription of medical
reports, processing requests for information from outside sources,
physicians, insurance companies, chart completion and accuracy
analysis, coding for statistical and insurance purposes, performance
improvement studies and other tasks as assigned. The Department
Director is the Privacy Officer.
The Medical Records professionals at Sheridan Memorial Hospital and
Nursing Home outline five things you need to know about your personal
health information:
- Each of your
healthcare providers compiles a separate medical record on you. This
means your complete history probably cannot be found in any one place.
By keeping your own personal health record (PHR), you can provide your
doctors with valuable information that can improve the quality of care
you receive. A PHR can help reduce or eliminate duplicate tests and
allow you to receive faster, safer treatment and care in an emergency.
- Federal laws are
in place to protect the privacy and give you access rights to your
health information. Under the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA), you can view, request changes to, and
obtain copies of health information documents collected and kept about
you.
- Your information
can only be seen by those who need it in order to provide your
treatment, to facilitate payment for healthcare services, and to make
sure quality care is being received. Your information may also be used
for research and as a legal document in cases where evidence of care is
needed. Anyone else who wants to use it for any other purpose needs
your permission first.
- The healthcare
industry and the federal government are working to improve healthcare
through the use of information technology. This is done through the use
of electronic health records (EHR) and a secure system that would allow
EHRs to be shared across healthcare systems and providers to allow you
greater access to your health information. Currently most
healthcare providers still manage medical records in a paper format.
- At healthcare
organizations across the nation, health information management
professionals are working to maintain your health record. These
professionals are responsible for ensuring your health record is
accurate, complete, confidential, and available when you, your doctor,
and other healthcare professionals need access to the information.
For more information about your
personal health information privacy rights, visit www.myphr.org.
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