HIPAA law extends to police, paramedics

DOVER - Under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, better known as HIPAA, patients' privacy rights don't necessarily begin at the hospital.

Police, first responders and emergency medical personnel are covered as well.

"We are a covered entity because our paramedics store and transfer medical records and information," said Capt. Jeff Evans, commander of the Aviation Section of the Delaware State Police.

Capt. Evans, the division's designated privacy officer, said emergency medical personnel encountered some roadblocks when the law first took effect in April.

He said troopers had trouble getting medical information on traffic accident victims from at least one hospital because hospital staff said HIPAA would not permit disclosure.

"Our troopers had to hand in incomplete reports," he said. "They couldn't list the diagnosis. They couldn't get the treating physician's name from the hospital."

In another incident, he said police were trying to get information on a rape victim who had called 911.