FAQ: Patient Rights and Privacy
MIT Medical employees must adhere to the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and to MIT Medical's own privacy policy, which provides for strict protection of your health information.
Whenever possible, speak directly with the people involved in your care. If you prefer to speak with a third party, contact the patient relations coordinator at 617-253-4976 or patientrelations@med.mit.edu. You will be contacted within one business day of your call or email for a follow-up conversation.
The patient relations coordinator helps patients resolve concerns about their care at MIT Medical. The patient relations coordinator will listen to any concerns you have and help you explore possible resolutions. Your interactions with the patient relations coordinator are protected by the same confidentiality rules that protect your medical record and clinical appointments.
Your interaction with the patient relations coordinator is confidential. In terms of privacy, it is treated just like an appointment with a care provider
No. No one will call your parents unless your condition is very serious or unless you’re incapable of making decisions regarding your care. Even if the campus police show up, they are generally more concerned about your health than about putting you in jail. A hospital visit will, however, show up on an insurance billing statement.
No. Not unless you request a copy and give it to them, or sign a release allowing them to access your record. Mental health records cannot be released unless you give your permission or the law requires their release (e.g., if they have been subpoenaed). For more information, see “Confidentiality, Medical Records, and Employment.”
No. MIT Medical will not contact your family unless your condition is life-threatening or unless you’re incapable of making your own health care decisions. If you are ill enough to require hospitalization, the dean on call may be told only that you are not a missing person (to prevent people from sending the police to look for you). If you need to make adjustments to your academic workload for medical reasons, contact Counseling and Support Services.