Also, before participating in informal health screenings, find out what uses will be made of the medical information that is collected. Ask your health care provider to use caution when photocopying portions of your medical records for others. Sometimes people are careless and photocopy more of your medical record than is necessary. Find out if your health care provider has a policy on the use of cordless and cellular phones and fax machines when discussing and transmitting medical information. Because they transmit by radio wave, phone conversations can be overheard on various electronic devices.
Fax machines offer far less privacy than the mail.
Frequently many people in an office have access to fax transmissions. Staff members at all levels of the organization should take precautions to preserve confidentiality when sending and receiving medical documents by fax machine. This includes doctors' offices, hospitals, mental health facilities and clinics. The health care provider can charge up to 25 cents per page to photocopy your medical record and up to 50 cents per page to copy microfilm. The legal code that author-izes patient access to medical records is California Health and Safety Code, section 1795.