Skip to main content


U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government
              Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you knowDot gov**Official websites use .gov**
                 A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
                  HTTPS**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                 A **lock** (A locked padlock) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
  Menu Close
          Enter the terms you wish to search for.
    Search
        








  
  
    

  
      

                                      About HHS
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Programs & Services
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Grants & Contracts
    
                        
                              
      
      
      Laws & Regulations                  
Health Information Privacy
  HIPAA for Individuals
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Filing a Complaint
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      HIPAA for Professionals
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Newsroom

              

    



Breadcrumb
    HHS
                              HIPAA Home
                              For Professionals
                              Covered Entities and Business Associates
                              Fast Facts for Covered Entities


    

    

    Navigate to:
  HIPAA for Professionals
    
                                    
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Regulatory Initiatives
    
                                                  
                                                                  
            
      
      
      
      Privacy
                                            
            
            Summary of the Privacy Rule
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Guidance
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Combined Text of All Rules
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      HIPAA Related Links
    
                                                  
                                                                  
            
      
      
      
      Security
                                            
            
            Summary of the Security Rule
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Security Guidance
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Cyber Security Guidance
    
                                                  
                                                                  
            
      
      
      
      Breach Notification
                                            
            
            Breach Reporting
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Guidance
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Reports to Congress
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Regulation History
    
                                                  
                                                                  
            
      
      
      
      Compliance & Enforcement
                                            
            
            Enforcement Rule
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Enforcement Process
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Enforcement Data
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Resolution Agreements
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Case Examples
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Audit
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Reports to Congress
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      State Attorneys General
    
                                                  
                                                                  
            
      
      
      
      Special Topics
                                            
            
            HIPAA and Part 2
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Change Healthcare Cybersecurity Incident FAQs
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      HIPAA and COVID-19
    
                                                                
                                                                  
            
      
      
      
      HIPAA and Reproductive Health
                          
            
            HIPAA and Final Rule Notice
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      HIPAA and Telehealth
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      HIPAA and FERPA
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Research
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Public Health
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Emergency Response
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Health Information Technology
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Health Apps
    
                                                  
                                                                  
            
      
      
      
      Patient Safety
                                            
            
            Statute & Rule
                          
            
            PSQIA Statute
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Patient Safety Rule
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Enforcement
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Guidance
    
                                                  
                                                                  
            
      
      
      
      Covered Entities & Business Associates
                                            
            
            Business Associate Contracts
    
                                                  
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Business Associates
    
                                    
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Training & Resources
    
                                    
                                            
            
      
      
      
      FAQs for Professionals
    
                                    
                                            
            
      
      
      
      Other Administrative Simplification RulesText resize icon

                    




Fast Facts for Covered Entities








  
  
    

  
      



The Privacy Rule provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities, and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information. At the same time, the Privacy Rule is balanced so that it permits the disclosure of personal health information needed for patient care and other important purposes.The Privacy Rule does not require you to obtain a signed consent form before sharing information for treatment purposes.Health care providers can freely share information for treatment purposes without a signed patient authorization.
The Privacy Rule does not require you to eliminate all incidental disclosures.The Privacy Rule recognizes that it is not practicable to eliminate all risk of incidental disclosures.  In August 2002, specific modifications to the Rule were adopted to clarify that incidental disclosures do not violate the Privacy Rule when you have policies which reasonably safeguard and appropriately limit how protected health information is used and disclosed.
The Privacy Rule does not cut off all communications between you and the families and friends of patients. As long as the patient does not object, The Privacy Rule permits you to:
share needed information with family, friends, or anyone else a patient identifies as involved in his or her care;
	disclose information when needed to notify a family member or anyone responsible for the patient's care about the patient's location or general condition;
	share the appropriate information for these purposes even when the patient is incapacitated if doing so is in the best interest of the patient.

The Privacy Rule does not stop calls or visits to hospitals by family, friends, clergy or anyone else.Unless the patient objects, basic information such as phone number, room number and general condition can:
	be listed in the hospital directory;
		be given to people who call or visit and ask for the patient;
		be given to clergy along with religious affiliation--when provided by the patient--even if the patient is not asked for by name.
The Privacy Rule does not prevent child abuse reporting.You may continue to report child abuse or neglect to appropriate government authorities.
	The Privacy Rule is not anti-electronic.You can communicate with patients, providers, and others by e-mail, telephone, or facsimile, with the implementation of appropriate safeguards to protect patient privacy.
Please view our Frequently Asked Questions about the Privacy Rule.
Guidance Materials for Covered Entities
		Summary of the Privacy Rule
				Guidance on Significant Aspects of the Privacy Rule
				Fast Facts for Covered Entities
				Provider Guide: Communicating With a Patient's Family, Friends, or Other Persons Identified by the Patient
				Guidance on the Application of FERPA and HIPAA to Student Health Records
				Sample Business Associate Contract
				Misleading Marketing Claims
				Sign Up for the OCR Privacy Listserv

                    
  


Content created by Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Content last reviewed June 16, 2017Back to top
    Contact HHS
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Careers
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      HHS FAQs
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Nondiscrimination NoticeHHS Archive
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Accessibility Statement
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Privacy Policy
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Viewers & PlayersBudget/Performance
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Inspector General
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Web Site Disclaimers
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      EEO/No Fear ActFOIA
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      The White House
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      USA.gov
    
                        
                                            
      
      
      Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
        Sign Up for Email Updates

Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases.

Sign Up
  HHS Headquarters
          200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
                  Washington, D.C. 20201
                  Toll Free Call Center: 1-877-696-6775​