Q&A: Disclosures to employers

Q: Naturally, companies are curious to learn which of their employees have been exposed to COVID-19 as the workforce begins to return to the office. Under what circumstances can healthcare providers legally disclose a patient’s diagnosis to his or her employer?

A: PHI involving COVID-19 test results may be disclosed to the patient’s employer with the patient’s written authorization, just like any other PHI disclosures to employers.

Editor's note: Mary D. Brandt, MBA, RHIA, CHE, CHPS is a healthcare consultant specializing in healthcare regulatory compliance and operations improvement. She is also an advisory board member for BOH. This information does not constitute legal advice. Consult legal counsel for answers to specific privacy and security questions. Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent HCPro or ACDIS. Email your HIPAA questions to Editor Kevin Duffy at kduffy@hcpro.com.