Correspondence don day stated that he was aware of a

correspondence, Don Day, stated that he was aware of a state statute that prohibited the release of
medical records to patients without prior written approval of their attending physician. This has
not been the practice at St. John Hospital. Mr. Day was concerned about the hospital’s
longstanding violation of state law. He suggested that correspondence requests (in which records
would be released directly to patients) be suspended until the state law could be researched
further.
On November 10, Ms. Jones received a brochure and samples from Comfort Healthcare, a
pharmaceutical company that manufactures ointment for patients with prostheses. Ms. Jones
called the St. John Hospital registration desk to complain. Jessica Carter, a volunteer, took Ms.
Jones’ call.
On November 20, the physical therapy department at St. John Hospital is performing a
correlational study to determine the effects of two different types of treatment that the physical
therapy department has used with its above-knee amputation patients during the past two years.
Ms. Jones received treatment from the St. John physical therapy department during her
September admission.
On November 29, Liberty Life and Health submitted a request to Dr. Lyon’s office (who Ms.
Jones had seen for follow-up care), requesting copies of Ms. Jones’ medical records from her
May St. John Hospital admission and from Dr. Lyon’s office.
DATE EVENT Identified Privacy Rule
Principle(s)
July 18 The patient requested copies
of medical records from May
26–30 admissions at St.