HHS: Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records

Final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) making changes to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) regulations governing the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records. This rule addresses the prohibition on re-disclosure notice, the circumstances under which patient identifying information may be used for the purposes of payment, healthcare operations, and audits/evaluations, and also makes minor technical corrections intended to clarify SAMHSA's regulations. Provisions of the rule, which are designed to protect patient confidentiality and more appropriately align current regulations with advances in the U.S. healthcare delivery system, take effect February 2, 2018.
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - Category: Rural Health Source Type: news