I got hired by a federal law enforcement agency and must now submit to a medical exam. My physical will be with an in-house federal doctor. I know that the agency can access the results of this physical, what I am wondering is if they can access my complete medical records. I've read that they can only access records that I give them consent to look at. For example, if I sign a consent form to look at my records at "Hospital A", they can. However, if I made no mention about my records at Hospital B and never gave consent, then they cannot access those records. I'm wondering if this policy is true? Also, when it comes to medical records, do they even care about anything but the results from the physical. I'm getting the feeling that the medical exam isn't a big deal, they just want to see if your capable of walking, talking, hearing, seeing, and other basic activities?
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Your medical records can only be viewed by those who you give permission to by signing a release of information. Anything other than that would be a violation of the federal HIPAA laws.
Under the Federal HIPAA laws (http://www.hipaa.org/) your medical records are only available to people you authorize.
But, in a law enforcement physical its going to be a very comprehensive exam. Its not just a routine physical. And every part of the information packet that they work up on you will be available to the agency.
They will X-ray you, prod and prob you and suck more blood out of you then you think you have. They will do a stress test where you run on a tread mill while hooked up to all kinds of machines. They will question you about every scar and mark and mole on your body. You will see many specialists that will examine you and test you on machines you didn't even know existed. When they are done, they will know more about your health and condition then you do.
Its not going to be a "they just want to see if your capable of walking, talking, hearing, seeing, and other basic activities", believe me.
When I went in for mine, I was at the hospital all day. I mean ALL DAY.
So, your past records are not needed. They will have a full work up on you when they are finished. So, if you think you can hide something from the past, they will figure it out.
Lastly, Law Enforcement jobs are different than most other jobs. They will probably have you sign a form so that your prior medical records can be searched. You do not have to sign it... it just means that you won't get employed by them.
My first thought is, what are you afraid they might find? Even if they don't get the information now, withholding things can come back to bite you later if and when it comes out. I took physicals different times for employment and not one time did a question like this ever cross my mind but then, I don't drink or do drugs, have no criminal record and try to follow the laws to the best of my ability.
I worked as a civilian for a large PD in OH and the only officers that were worried about "anything" in their backgrounds (medical or otherwise) were the ones that had something to hide. Not saying you do but your question poses those thoughts.
Nopw, hopefully now. although interior the destiny while all scientific archives are in databases all related to the information superhighway, your and my scientific archives won't purely be generally hacked and illegally accessed, yet would be available to any company who has your SS selection (which replaced into in no way ment to take transport of to absolutely everyone different than the government so which you would be able to assemble guess wyat: social protection) scientific privateness have become a element of the previous. And as quickly as popular well-being is pushed, your scientific archives would be extra public than ever. Now tho, it will be particularly extra dificult to your organization to get those archives (in the event that they even needed) and easily they have no suitable. You, the product, are there until now them to be interviewed and to take part in a prelimenary employment for assessment, no longer your scientific previous. good success
no, i work for an agency in which medical records are strictly confidential...unless you sign a waiver, they can get the generals on their own, but specifics you would need to sign for, although upon hire did you sign waivers? did you read all the small print?
Yes. All of our rights as citizens have been taken away by the Patriot Act. And your in law enforcement?
Dog Lover speaks from experience and is correct.