Employers

Protected health information (PHI) may only be released to an employer with a valid written authorization from the patient. As a condition of employment, employers typically obtain authorization from the employee for the release of information related to employment physicals such as fitness for duty exams. Employers must also obtain employee authorization to receive health information related to medical leave requests and return to work examinations. To ease and expedite the necessary flow of information between a healthcare provider and employer, the employer should have health care authorization forms available for the employee to complete and present to the healthcare provider and a procedure the employee must follow to return the required information from the health care provider to the employer.

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