QUESTION: Can I tell another dental office when a patient had x-rays and a cleaning last?
ANSWER FROM RICK KUWAHARA, CMO of Paubox:
Yes. The HIPAA Privacy Rule does allow for a covered entity to use or disclose protected health information (PHI), such as x-rays and other medical information, for the purpose of treatment of a patient. Although sharing PHI for the purpose of treatment does not require patient permission, as a best practice it is always best to make sure patients understand and consent to sharing of their PHI.
Here is a link to the exact code: https://www.gpo.gov/
ANSWER FROM MARIANNE HARPER, CEO of The Art of Practice Management:
If the patient plans to become a patient of the office that is asking the question, then it is fine for this information to be passed on to the new practice.
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