Research Question

Well I know thier are people out there in the medical feild, and perhaps there are a few in the legal feild as well that might be able to help me out with this, anyone who has any knowelge upon how things like this might happen to work please let me know. I am doing reasearch for the sake of a new story idea I am toying around. So here is the scenario.

A man in a mental ward/insitution dies under mysterious circumstances, so it is being investigated by the police. They want a copy of the victims medicals records to try and understand more about why he was there, and his histroy and background and so forth. Becasue it is a crime, and under investigation, can the hospital give them the informaiton, or would the police be able to get a warrant for it, or would they be completely denied access becasue of doctor-patainet confidentialty laws?

5:21 PM - 6/17/2007 - post comment

Medical Records

Hi! I did work in the medical field but not before the recent changes, Hippa, etc. Still, medical records are legal documents so they definitely could be subpoenaed. Also, I'm sure that the patient or next of kin could authorize their release to a lawyer. It sounds like a great idea! I actually have a friend who worked as a psychiatric nurse at one of the top hospitals in Chicago. One night while she was at dinner one of the patients assigned to her hung himself. All I know is that she had to give a deposition.

Fightingfemale - 5:08 AM - 6/18/2007

Thank you

Thank you for the help, I was talking to a friend of mine about the question as well, and he told me that all the records would have to be turned over during a cirminal invesitagation.

SilverWind - 6:39 AM - 6/18/2007

For though All are not able to write books, all conceive themselves able to judge them. ~The Monk

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