Unique Circumstances

Here is information about accessing medical records under unique circumstances.

If the patient is deceased, please contact the Medical Correspondence Unit at the appropriate center for information on how to request a copy of the individual's medical records. Please note a copy of the death certificate will be required to verify that patient is deceased when he or she did not expire in our facility as well as to establish the next of kin.

If the patient is incapacitated, unable to sign for him or herself and there is personal representative who is legally responsible then that individual will sign on behalf of the patient.

If the patient is a minor under 12, we will request that the parent or legal guardian sign the authorization form.

If the patient is a minor between ages 12-18, requests for "Sensitive Protected Information (SPHI)" require that the patient and the parent or legal guardian BOTH sign the authorization form. Requests for personal copies of "Protected Health Information (PHI)" require the patient's signature. Requests for copies to be transferred to other designated parties only require the parent or legal guardian's signature.

For an attorney request, the authorization form must be notarized if information is being sent to an attorney's office or to court instead of a so-ordered subpoena. For disclosures when your medical records contain information relating to HIV/AIDS, this additional form is required.

Please note that as part of the New York State Maternal-Pediatric HIV Prevention and Care Program, all charts belonging to any mother and her newborn whose delivery occurred in New York State as of 1996, contains HIV information. In order to release any part of the chart pertinent to the delivery and/or birth records or any subsequent treatment for you or your child you must complete the HIV authorization form.