The authorization to release healthcare information allows a medical healthcare expert to use that information for specific reasons. Every person is the sole owner of their healthcare information and they hold all the rights to keep that information private. Due to this, when their information is needed by the doctor, they first approach the patient and ask for authorization.
What is authorization to release healthcare information?
It is a document in which the patient gives the authority to a specific person or organization to make use of his medical history and other details for a specified reason. Through this authorization, the healthcare provider gets permission to make use of the information or release it to a third party.
It is important to note that the patient holds the right to revoke the access or release of his medical records at any time and those who do not respect the rights of the patient can be sued by the patient.
Why authorization to release medical information is important?
When a person gets treatment in a hospital, there is the medical data of that patient in the database of the hospital. The patient and the clinic sign an agreement of keeping the medical data of the patient confidential. Therefore, when a hospital has to release the information, authorization from the patient is sought.
A hospital needs permission from the patient when it wants to collect data of the patient and share it with a third party that often conducts research or uses the data for any other purpose. The data of the patient is not used for any unlawful activity but still, the patient and his ownership of his data is the most important factor to be taken into account and one should never forget to do that.
In some cases, the relatives of a person want to access the medical records of that persona and the hospital never releases the information unless it receives permission to do so.
What is generally included in the authorization?
If you are someone who is writing the authorization, you should be aware of the format and the information to be shared in the document. The following are some common components to be shared in the authorization :
Name of the patient:
The patient should write his full name and description of the treatment he got in the hospital and then state authorization.
Statement of authorization:
The patient should share the name of the doctor or the hospital to which permission is being given to release the information of the patient. The recipient of the authority can also be a relative of the patient, a media or news agency, or any person who can use the released medical information in any way.
Description of the authorization:
Here, the patient is required to mention the date on which the authorization is being issued. The reason for giving the authority to someone to release the information is also specified. For example, if the patient wants the hospital to release the information only for a research purpose, it will be specified in the authorization and the hospital will be answerable if the released information is used for any other purpose apart from what has been specified in the letter of authority.
Tips for writing the authorization
Giving authority to someone to take some action is a critical step and therefore, people are required to be very careful as to how they do it. Here are some useful tips that can be followed by those who want to write it meticulously.
Know the purpose and state it:
You need to know the objective behind writing the permission because this will enable you to figure out whether it is the right step or not. Also, don’t forget to state that purpose. This will let the user not use the information for any other purpose.
Follow the right format:
The permission letter that you write should look like an authentic and professional document that conveys the necessary details with clarity. This is possible when you follow the right format. You can also see a template to know how a perfect authorization letter is written.
