When I was in the ER last month for my broken arm, I was asked specifically if they could release information about me. Before I said yes, I asked them about it. If I said 'no,' they couldn't even acknowledge I was a patient. And that was to anyone, including family members. If doctors and other hospital staff are discussing patient conditions, they have to have permission from the patient or a person authorized by the patient to grant that permission. that's why I'm concerned.
The HIPAA regulations, which carry civil and even criminal penalties if violated, require doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and insurers to notify patients about the privacy rules, describe how their medical information may be used and explain patients' rights under the new guidelines.Looks like the default is to permit disclosure of general condition, unless the patient insists on strict privacy. Patient's choice.Unless patients insist on strict privacy, hospitals still can tell people who ask for patients by name what their general condition is, and hospitals can issue names of patients to clergy who want to visit ailing parishioners.
If patients don't want their names or other information released, health officials cannot even acknowledge that those individuals are in the hospital.
Yahoo! News - Communities Adjust to Medical Privacy Laws