Practice Management Alert
Are Psychotherapy Notes Accessible to Patients?
Question: I'm the new practice manager for a psychotherapist's office. One of our clients wants all of his records - including the personal notes our psychotherapist writes after each session. I don't think this is actually part of the patient's health record. Illinois Subscriber Answer: You're correct. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), patients do not have the right to see or get a copy of their psychotherapy notes. The HHS Health Information Privacy page says, "Psychotherapy notes are notes that a mental health professional takes during a conversation with a patient. They are kept separate from the patient's medical and billing records. HIPAA also does not allow the provider to make most disclosures about psychotherapy notes about [a patient] without [a patient's] authorization."
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