Can hospital workers release information to family members about a patient in police custody?

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Can hospital workers release information to family members about a patient in police custody?

Patient was involved in a attempted armed robbery; they were shot during the commission of the crime. Patient is now in police custody at the hospital. Medical professionals refuse to disclose patient’s condition to their mother.

Asked on April 22, 2012 under Criminal Law, Georgia

Answers:

FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 11 years ago | Contributor

Under HIPPA, health care professionals as in the circumstances that you have written about are not allowed to disclose information with respect to a patient's medical condition to non-medical personnel absent express written authorization from the patient to do so.

The hospital workers can release such medical information as to a patient to a third party without patient authroization but such release would be a HIPPA violation.


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