(3) Information about the condition of sick or injured patients may bereleased
in order to allay the family's anxiety. If a patient's condition is very seriously ill/seriously ill
(VSI/SI), information may be released to the nearest known relative or to the person
designated by the patient as the one to be informed in the case of an emergency. When a
diagnosis of psychosis has been made, this information may be released to the nearest
known relative or to the person designated by the patient.
(4) The laws of the state in which the medical record of a teenage family
member is located governs the disclosure of information to family members from a
teenager's record pertaining to statutory or regulatory programs for drug and alcohol
abuse, venereal disease, birth control, and abortion. AR 40-66 provides procedures to
safeguard the confidentiality of information about teenage family members. This regulation
also provides detailed procedures for maintaining this confidentiality in overseas
installations.
(5) When medical information is released to members of the public, DAForm
4876-R, Request and Release of Medical Information to Communications Media (see
figure 2-3) will be used. AR 25-55 describes the types of records that may be withheld, in
whole or in part, from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
(6) Routine communications written by the community health nurse and directed
to civilian health or social welfare agencies, related organizations, and treatment facilities
pertaining to prescribed treatment or followup care may be released by the health nurse if
written consent for the release is obtained from the patient and filed in the appropriate
medical record. Communications pertaining to potential or actual medicolegal matters,
insurance companies, law enforcement agencies, will be routed to the patient administrator
for approval and release.
2-6.
SENSITIVE RECORDS
Some categories of medical records require special handling because of the
sensitive nature of the information contained in them or because of the sensitive nature of
the job of the individual to whom the record pertains.
a. Medical Records Containing Defense Information. Medical records usually do
not contain defense information. The entry of such information should be avoided unless its
omission jeopardizes the interests of the patient or the government. If defense information
is entered, the documents containing such information are safeguarded and transferred in
accordance with AR 380-5.
b. Records of Individual in the Nuclear Surety Program. The potential
destructiveness of nuclear weapons and the psychological, political, and military
implications of an unauthorized detonation--accidental or deliberate--demand precise
control of nuclear weapons. Individuals assigned to nuclear duty positions must meet very
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