Attending rehab leaves a ton of questions on the table, and finding the answers is often tiring and quite frustrating. One of the many worries people have is how private their information is. If it’s not private, then what are the odds friends, employers, and family could find out about a rehab trip? Fortunately, privacy is taken very seriously in treatment centers.
Privacy is one of the most important aspects of treatment. Since rehab is a medical field, they are responsible for following many of the national and local medical privacy laws that are in place. If someone is worried about local chatter, they can even travel somewhere else in the country. There are treatment facilities all around the country where no one will be familiar with travelers. But there are also laws that are in place to protect people who stay local.
There are certain laws that are in place to offer protection. They are:
The Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)
HIPPA came to fruition after technology required the medical field to shift towards the technology age. There were no laws to protect privacy for patients. In 1996, it was decided that the healthcare industry needed some protection in a new world. Hence the introduction of HIPPA. The law is very complex, but it can be broken down into a few basics.
- To ensure that electronically protected health information is confidential
- Facilities must be protected from reasonable digital security threats
- Any medical staff must keep information private
- Complaints can be filed if there is a chance that rights to privacy were violated
- There must be a physical divider in medical facilities with records
The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patients Records Privacy Law
This law targets patients and substance use disorder. There is increased emphasis when it comes to disclosing patient records. Electronic health records and their security was beefed up and modernized from what was written in HIPPA.
State laws
Different states have different laws about medical records and confidentiality. There are often laws on top of the main national laws, and they are more strict. It would be too lengthy to list all of the laws here, but state websites often have the laws on record.
Medical Amnesty Laws
If someone seeks medical attention, they are protected under medical amnesty laws. It doesn’t matter if the activity is illegal or not. This means that underage drinking or substance use disorder can be treated without criminal prosecution. These laws vary by state, but they can protect people who are engaging in criminal activities.
