It is important to be aware that PHRs that are not part of a provider's electronic health record are not considered to be legal records, and therefore, are not HIPAA covered entities.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA):

• Covers medical information in any format—written, spoken, or electronic
• Allows patient to view, request changes to, and obtain copies of health information documents
• Provides protections regarding how your information can be used

Under HIPAA, you likely received a Notice of Privacy Practices when you visited a new healthcare provider or pharmacy. You would have been asked to sign a statement saying you’ve been given the notice. This Notice details your privacy rights, how your information is used and disclosed, and explains who will have access to your information.

Your Rights Under HIPAA:

• Right to access, inspect, and copy health information
• Right to request correction or amend health information
• Right to request accounting of disclosures of health information—who has received it