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tci General Surgery Coding Alert - 2023 Issue Q4
Reader Questions: Keep Family History HIPAA Compliant
Question: When our surgeon gets a referral for a procedure, the referring physician sometimes includes information about the patient’s family medical history. Is that information protected by HIPAA? Is it ok for physicians to share that information? AAPC Subscriber Answer: Yes, a patient’s family medical history constitutes protected health information (PHI). The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) says that a patient’s family medical history becomes PHI once it’s a part of the medical record. “When a covered health care provider, in the course of treating an individual, collects or otherwise obtains an individual&rsquo...
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