Question

The role of the health information manager in a substance abuse treatment facility often involves serving as the confidentiality expert. Why is confidentiality of special concern in a substance abuse treatment program?

Answer 1

Answer:

It is the duty of a health information manager in a substance abuse treatment to keep all the records of the patient confidential.

Explanation:

Physicians or the Consultants, does not have the liberty to disclose any type of information related to the patient to the outer world, until he wants to disclose it himself or gives the permission to his doctor to do so.

There is a federal law (42 CFR) which deals with protecting the privacy of substance abuse patients by preventing the unauthorized revelation of patients records except under few instances like:

• Research purpose
• Medical emergency
• Upon court's order to disclose information

The federal confidentiality law and regulations protect the privacy of substance use disorder (SUD) patient records by prohibiting unauthorized disclosures of patient records except in limited circumstances