Medical Records

We are committed to maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality.

Unless required by law, subpoena, court order or required confidential reports to the Public Health Department, University Health Services (UHS) does not release individual medical information without patient authorization/consent. UHS may leave an appointment reminder and similar message (but not actual medical information) on a patient's voice mail unless we have been specifically asked not to do so.

UHS does not share individual medical information with family members, faculty, university administrators or others who are not healthcare professionals involved in the patient's care unless the patient has formally authorized us to do so. In rare circumstances and only as allowed by law, UHS may share medical information without patient authorization if the treating clinician determines that not doing so would present significant danger to the patient or to others.

In accordance with privacy laws and ethical practice, UHS also restricts access to individual medical information within the UHS to staff involved in the patient's medical care on a minimum necessary need-to-know basis. Similarly, UHS might share pertinent medical information with a hospital emergency room or physician when referring the patient for medical care.

UHS does not release medical records sent to us from other medical providers. Patients should direct their requests for the release of such information to the physician or healthcare entity that provided the medical care that created the information the patient wants released.

The patient's informed consent to release medical information is legally limited to circumstances that have already happened. Blanket consent can't be given in advance for circumstances that have not yet occurred. A patient may terminate a consent to release medical information at any time. This must be done in writing. It is not possible for this to apply to records that have already been released as authorized. UHS does not currently bill third parties, so information is not released for this purpose.

Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rules require healthcare providers to define and communicate the methods used to safeguard private medical information. The state of Tennessee has determined that many HIPAA procedures don't apply to university student health centers as currently written. Other, more stringent state and federal privacy laws do apply; however, and UHS follows these regulations and many HIPAA-based privacy and security safeguards.

The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects confidentiality of student educational records on campus. Under FERPA, Tennessee medical privacy laws apply to information and records UHS develops and maintains for patient diagnosis and treatment. However, FERPA makes medical records that a student authorizes to have released to campus entities outside UHS for non-treatment purposes become the responsibility of the recipient/s. Such records are protected by FERPA only as educational but not medical diagnosis/treatment records. In this circumstance, FERPA confidentiality protections, though stringent, could allow further access to campus entities that are not a student's medical or mental health providers.

Requesting medical records:

To obtain a copy of your medical records, fill out the Release of Medical Information Form and upload it to the Medicat Patient Portal or visit University Health Services in person to submit the required forms.

**IF YOU WERE FIRST ADMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY BEFORE 2015,

WE NO LONGER HAVE A COPY OF YOUR IMMUNIZATION RECORDS**

• The Release of Medical Information Form must be completed in full and be accompanied by a copy of the requestor's photo ID (Legal ID or UTC ID)

Please note it may take up to 24-48 business hours to fulfill the request once submitted.