Health Confidentiality

Clients have the right to expect that all aspects of care will be treated as confidential.

• Privacy is established for clients when examining, interviewing or sharing information
• Verbalization of client's information is not shared with those not participating in the client's care
• Discretion is used in the exchange of client formation on the telephone
• Discretion is used to maintain confidentiality during meetings
• Except when otherwise required by the law, any record that contains clinical, social, financial, or other data on a client is to be treated as strictly confidential and protected from loss, tampering, alterations, destruction and unauthorized or inadvertent closures
• Confidential information in the medical record is considered privileged information and cannot be released without the client's written authorization. Confidentiality is to be broken only if the client poses a danger to self or others .
• Employees with access to medical information shall respect the doctrine of confidentiality and not divulge any information contained in the medical record unless they are authorized to do so by the client
• Authorizations are required for information to:
  Physicians who are not affiliated with SNHU in the treatment of the client.
  
  • Attorneys
    
  • Insurance companies
    
  • Schools
    
  • Law enforcement agencies, without client consent,a court order or search warrant is needed.
    
  • Immigration and Naturalization Service
    
  • Employers
    
  • Welfare agencies
    
  • Social Security Administration
    
  • Veterans Administration
    
  • Internal revenue Service
    
  • Civil Service departments
    
  • Courts without a Supoena Duces Tecum
    
  • All requests for information must be reviewed by the Vice President for Student Affairs
    
  • Authorizations are not required for release of information for:
  
  
• Another health care facility via telephone (after verification) when the information is needed for Direct Emergency Care of the client.
  
• Another physician or health care facility that is at the moment treating the client (after verification, ask that they send a valid authorization as soon as possible).
  
• State and local health departments and/or other agencies listed below. Inform client in advance, if possible, that certain diseases may be reportable to:
  
• Communicable Disease Control
  
• Bureau of Maternity and Family
  Planning Services
  
• State Department of Labor
  
• Medical Examiner
  
• Many third-party payers have clauses in their contracts that allow for release of information when the client signs the contract. Request a copy of the signed consent from the insurance company.

Each member of the SNHU Health Services Staff shall be required to read and sign a copy of this confidentiality statement.