Confidentiality in Rehab
People struggling with addiction, not surprisingly, have a lot on their minds and confidentiality regarding seeking treatment can be one of them. When you begin drug and alcohol abuse treatment, this is certainly something you should discuss with your treatment provider so you know all of the rules, regulations, and laws. Drug treatment programs are meant to help people get their lives back on track, and knowing that your time in substance abuse inpatient rehab or outpatient rehab will be private is essential.
One of the common questions we are asked is if drug abuse patient information is kept confidential. The answer is yes, some laws have been enacted to keep your substance abuse treatment, and drug abuse patient records private. That being said, it is still important to review this with the individual counseling and medical professionals you will be working with as part of your treatment for substance use disorders before you begin.
There are acts and laws to keep your information confidential regarding drug treatment programs. As part of the admissions process, you will be offered the opportunity to give written consent to those individuals you would like your information shared with, like a close family member, spouse, or other medical professionals you are being treated by for different reasons. The confidentiality of patient information is a primary concern of all of those who work in the medical field, including drug or alcohol rehab staff members. Federal regulations and confidentiality rules apply to everyone that works at a hospital or treatment center.
Laws That Protect Your Privacy
One law that protects the confidentiality of patient records is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly referred to as HIPAA. A few things regarding patient information that is kept private and confidential due to HIPPA laws and regulations are a person’s demographics, health status, where they received addiction treatment, and how they paid for their substance abuse care. Federal regulations also further protect people in treatment programs for substance use disorders. In 1975, specific protections were put in place as part of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 42 Part 2, which includes the following:
- You must give written consent to have your information disclosed or
- The disclosure is allowed by a court order or
- The disclosure is made to medical professionals in a medical emergency or qualified personnel for research, audit, or program evaluation.
How to Ensure Confidentiality in Rehab
One thing anyone who is beginning a treatment plan or researching drug treatment programs should do is ask a lot of questions. This includes anything regarding your patient records or information about where and when you are receiving alcohol and drug abuse care. If you are giving written consent, double-check all of the forms you provided before submitting them. In general, mental health and addiction treatment professionals understand the privacy most people want to ensure when being treated for substance use disorders. Still, it’s always good to double-check the rules and regulations are being followed.
Learn about our drug treatment program in Los Angeles here:
Talk to an Addiction Specialist Today at Muse Treatment Center
At Muse Treatment Center, we provide substance abuse treatment programs for people from all walks of life. We respect our individual patient’s privacy and adhere to the laws and federal regulations regarding patient records and confidentiality. We know that when you seek treatment for anything from meth abuse to prescription opioid addiction, stress will be involved, and we want to help elevate as much of that as possible as you begin your addiction recovery. If you or one of your loved ones is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, call us today at (800) 426-1818 to learn more about all our levels of care and the outstanding treatments we offer.
