This guide only discusses how to get and amend your medical records from health care providers who have to follow the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The guide mentions some related topics without discussing them in detail. Here are some resources where you can find information about these related topics.
Alcohol and Drug Treatment Records
Records related to alcohol and drug treatment may be subject to other privacy rules. You can get more information about these records at:
http://hipaa.samhsa.gov/Part2ComparisonCleared.htm
Colorado Medical Record Access Laws
Some health care providers do not have to follow the HIPAA Privacy Rule. These providers must still follow Colorado laws that give you the right to see and get a copy of your medical record. The Colorado Revised Statutes, Article 25 (Health), Title I (Administration), Part 8 (Patient Records) gives patients access rights to their health records held by health care professionals. You can read this statute at:
http://www.leg.state.co.us/
The Rules and Regulations of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Regulations, Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division, give patients access rights to their health records held by health care facilities. You can read these regulations at:
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/op/regs/healthfacilitiesregs.asp
Medical Records in General
You can read general information on your medical record rights, the flow of medical information, and how to create a personal medical record at http://www.myphr.com/ a Website operated by the American Health Information Management Association, an association of professionals who manage medical records and information.
Medical Terms
You can find out the meaning of many medical terms and medical shorthand from the Medical Library Association’s Website at:
http://www.mlanet.org/resources/consumr_index.html
Your library might also have books or brochures that explain medical terms.
Mental Health Treatment Records
The rules for records related to mental health conditions and treatment can be found in the Colorado Revised Statutes, Article 25 (Health), Title I (Administration), Part 8 (Patient Records). You can read this statute at:
http://www.leg.state.co.us/
The HIPAA Privacy Rule treats most mental health treatment records like other medical records. However, psychotherapy notes (as defined by the HIPAA Privacy Rule) are treated differently. You can read about how these notes are treated in the Summary of the Privacy Rule written by the Office for Civil Rights, HHS at:
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/
