70.02.020 - Disclosure by health care provider. - Washington Statutes

Disclosure by health care provider.

(1) Except as authorized in RCW 70.02.050, a health care provider, an individual who assists a health care provider in the delivery of health care, or an agent and employee of a health care provider may not disclose health care information about a patient to any other person without the patient's written authorization. A disclosure made under a patient's written authorization must conform to the authorization.

     (2) A patient has a right to receive an accounting of disclosures of health care information made by a health care provider or a health care facility in the six years before the date on which the accounting is requested, except for disclosures:

     (a) To carry out treatment, payment, and health care operations;

     (b) To the patient of health care information about him or her;

     (c) Incident to a use or disclosure that is otherwise permitted or required;

     (d) Pursuant to an authorization where the patient authorized the disclosure of health care information about himself or herself;

     (e) Of directory information;

     (f) To persons involved in the patient's care;

     (g) For national security or intelligence purposes if an accounting of disclosures is not permitted by law;

     (h) To correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if an accounting of disclosures is not permitted by law; and

     (i) Of a limited data set that excludes direct identifiers of the patient or of relatives, employers, or household members of the patient.

[2005 c 468 § 2; 1993 c 448 § 2; 1991 c 335 § 201.]

Notes: Effective date -- 1993 c 448: See note following RCW 70.02.010.