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                              481-Does HIPAA permit health care providers to share information for treatment purposes without authorization


    

    

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Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule permit doctors, nurses, and other health care providers to share patient health information for treatment purposes without the patient’s authorization?








  
  
    

  
      





Answer:

Yes. The Privacy Rule allows those doctors, nurses, hospitals, laboratory technicians, and other health care providers that are covered entities to use or disclose protected health information, such as X-rays, laboratory and pathology reports, diagnoses, and other medical information for treatment purposes without the patient’s authorization. This includes sharing the information to consult with other providers, including providers who are not covered entities, to treat a different patient, or to refer the patient. See 45 CFR 164.506.

Date Created: 11/03/2003

                    
  


Content created by Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Content last reviewed December 28, 2022Back to top
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