Where a parent requests that a health care provider disclose proof of his child’s immunizations to a school so the school can legally admit the child, does the Privacy Rule limit to whom at the school the provider may send the records?

Answer:

No.  It is expected that in most cases a school has designated an administrative official or employee, such as a school nurse, to receive and maintain proof of student immunizations to comply with applicable law. Given the designated person may vary from school to school, the Privacy Rule permits the health care provider to make the disclosure to whoever at the school is identified in the parent’s request or school’s instructions to the parent.


Content created by Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
Content last reviewed on September 18, 2013