To request a copy of a medical record from a hospital, call or write to the hospital holding the record. You must speak to the Medical Records Department and request a release of medical information authorization form from the hospital.
A Privacy Rule Authorization is an individual's signed permission to allow a covered entity to use or disclose the individual's protected health information (PHI) that is described in the Authorization for the purpose(s) and to the recipient(s) stated in the Authorization.
Covered entities (anyone providing treatment, payment, and operations in healthcare) and business associates (anyone who has access to patient information and provides support in treatment, payment, or operations) must meet HIPAA Compliance.
HIPAA is the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. The primary goal of the law is to make it easier for people to keep health insurance, protect the confidentiality and security of healthcare information and help the healthcare industry control administrative costs.
Authorization. A covered entity must obtain the individual's written authorization for any use or disclosure of protected health information that is not for treatment, payment or health care operations or otherwise permitted or required by the Privacy Rule.
I hereby authorize use or disclosure of protected health information about me as described below. I understand that the information used or disclosed may be subject to re-disclosure by the person or class of persons or facility receiving it, and would then no longer be protected by federal privacy regulations.
Release of Information Authorization Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, when a release of information is intended for purposes other than medical treatment, healthcare operations, or payment, you'll need to sign an authorization for ROI.
The NYS Department of Health, however, requires medical doctors to retain records for any adult patients for 6 years. Minor patients are kept for 6 years and until one year after the minor reaches the age of 18 (whichever is longer). For hospitals, medical records must be kept for six years from the date of discharge.
Requests for Client Records If you are submitting a request for Medicaid records specifically, please fill out and submit the OCA-960 Authorization for Release of Health Information Pursuant to HIPAA or other HIPAA-compliant form. Requests and forms should be submitted via email to HIPAA@dss.nyc.