ABA Family Legal Guide

Health-Care Law

Patients' Rights

Confidentiality and Privacy

How will I know what procedures my health-care providers will follow?

When you go to a doctor, a dentist, or a hospital, you probably will be presented with a form in the waiting room, and asked to sign it before treatment. The form concerns how the provider will use (and protect) information about you. The HIPAA privacy rule requires a covered health-care provider with direct treatment relationships with individuals to give you the notice no later than the date of first service delivery to you, and to make a good-faith effort to obtain your written acknowledgment of receipt of the notice. There also will be a posted notice on the premises, in a clear and prominent location where patients are likely to see it, that includes the same information that is distributed directly to the individual.