Module 7 Assignment 2: ROI Policy

Cincinnati County Clinic

Release of Information
POLICY:

Cincinnati County Clinic will comply with laws protecting the

privacy of Protected Health Information. Our policy applies to Protected
Health Information in both electronic and paper form. Requests for release of
patient information are processed in our clinics medical records/health
information management department.

PROCEDURE:

The following items that will be listed are our

procedures to follow when honoring a patients right of access to health
information.
1. Written Requests: A patients written request for access to health
information will be acceptable if it contains all of the information
needed on the ROI form.
2. The Process of the Request: Written requests received at our facility
will be date-stamped upon receiving, by the department receiving the
request. The department that receives a request must forward the
request to Health Records. All written requests will lastly be forwarded
to the HIM immediately in order to respond to the request.
3. Response Time for Request of Information: Depending on how
backed up our HIM department may be, expect a response no later than
ten (10) business days of receiving the request. The ten day period will
begin once the request is received and date stamped.
4. Denial of Request: In the event of a denial, it may occur
because of one or all of the following reasons: if a licensed health
care professional determines that access by the patient is likely to
endanger the life or physical safety of the patient or another person, or
to cause substantial harm to the patient or another person mentioned
in the record; The facility does not have the requested records.
5. Request Approval: If our HIM decides that a patient is allowed access
to the PHI, our HIM staff will consult with the patient on if the patient
wants to review the records or if the patient wants to receive a copy of
the records.

6. Patient Review: If a patient decides they want to simply view a record,

our HIM staff will arrange a time with the patient for the patient to
review the records. A person on the staff must be present at all times
while a patient reviews an original record. A member of our staff will
document the date and time of the patients review of the records,
directly on the written request. At Cincinnati County Clinic, we do not
charge patients for simply viewing a record. If a patient desires to have
copies then (See below at next step);
7. Copy of the Records: The first copy of a patients health record will
be provided at no cost to patients. If a patient has already received a
free copy of the health record, they will be charged and must pay our
fee of $1.00 per copy of the record before receiving any additional
copies. A member of our HIM staff person will be responsible for
photocopying and mailing the records along with writing the date the
records were copied/mailed and their initials directly on the written
request.

Sayles, N. (n.d.). Health information Management Technology: An Applied

Approach
(Fourth Edition.).