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Suppose that the HR department verbally states that signing the medical records release is necessary in order to provide relevant information in a medical emergency, and is used for no other purpose, but is required as a condition of employment, yet there is no mention of such a requirement in their employee handbook.

buffalo_speedway_tx wrote:I wonder how this fits into HIPAA regulations and patient confidentiality. OK......here it comes IANAL, but I wonder if this is a requirement that is legal. I work in healthcare IT and there are strict rules on whether a paitent allows information to be made public.

Regarding the type of release I described in this thread's first post, the employer or its insurer would theoretically mail or fax a copy of the signed release to a doctor's office, hospital, etc, with an expectation that the facility would send them any medical records they have about an employee whose signature appears on the release.

Assume no mention of HIPAA in the release.

Assume that the release's language has the employee agreeing to hold harmless from any legal action any entity involved in the distribution of this information.

Assume that the employer requires passage of drug screening, a physical examination and a background check prior to a formal offer of employment.

Any commentary is welcome.

Anyone here ever have an employer who required, as a condition of employment, that you sign a form authorizing them to obtain any of your medical records from any doctor or medical facility, anywhere, from before and during your employment with that employer?

Leave aside jobs that required commercial driver licenses, government and military employers, and hospital/clinical employers.