Did you know that sometimes it is perfectly legal for a doctor or other health care provider to discuss someone's health with a friend or family member without a power of attorney or a signed release? These discussions may be face-to-face, over the phone, or in writing.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has just published a new explanation about the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This guide explains how and when a health care provider may share a patient's health information with the patient's family, friends, or others involved in the patient's care, an area of the HIPAA Privacy Rule that is frequently misunderstood by health care providers and patients alike.

We are posting these guidelines here, so you can find them in the future if you ever have a communications problem with a health care provider:

HIPAA Privacy Rules Guide