Do restrictions on the release of patient information change if a disaster occurs?
No. However, hospitals may release general information on how many victims are being treated, along with some general categorical information, such as how many are children vs. adults, or how many are male vs. female. No blanket condition will be provided for the group as a whole, and condition reports are only available on a patient-by-patient basis, provided that the media has the patient(s)’s name(s) and that these individuals have not restricted use of their personal health information.
