146.81(1)
(1) "Health care provider" means any of the following:
146.81(1)(d)
(d) A physician, physician assistant, perfusionist, or respiratory care practitioner licensed or certified under
subch. II of ch. 448.
146.81(1)(hg)
(hg) A social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional counselor certified or licensed under
ch. 457.
146.81(1)(hm)
(hm) A speech-language pathologist or audiologist licensed under
subch. II of ch. 459 or a speech and language pathologist licensed by the department of public instruction.
146.81(1)(hp)
(hp) A massage therapist or bodywork therapist licensed under
ch. 460.
146.81(1)(j)
(j) A corporation or limited liability company of any providers specified under
pars. (a) to
(hp) that provides health care services.
146.81(1)(k)
(k) A cooperative health care association organized under
s. 185.981 that directly provides services through salaried employees in its own facility.
146.81(2)
(2) "Informed consent" means written consent to the disclosure of information from patient health care records to an individual, agency or organization that includes all of the following:
146.81(2)(a)
(a) The name of the patient whose record is being disclosed.
146.81(2)(c)
(c) The types of health care providers making the disclosure.
146.81(2)(d)
(d) The purpose of the disclosure such as whether the disclosure is for further medical care, for an application for insurance, to obtain payment of an insurance claim, for a disability determination, for a vocational rehabilitation evaluation, for a legal investigation or for other specified purposes.
146.81(2)(e)
(e) The individual, agency or organization to which disclosure may be made.
146.81(2)(f)
(f) The signature of the patient or the person authorized by the patient and, if signed by a person authorized by the patient, the relationship of that person to the patient or the authority of the person.
146.81(2)(h)
(h) The time period during which the consent is effective.
146.81(3)
(3) "Patient" means a person who receives health care services from a health care provider.
146.81(4)
(4) "Patient health care records" means all records related to the health of a patient prepared by or under the supervision of a health care provider; and all records made by an ambulance service provider, as defined in
s. 256.01 (3), an emergency medical technician, as defined in
s. 256.01 (5), or a first responder, as defined in
s. 256.01 (9), in administering emergency care procedures to and handling and transporting sick, disabled, or injured individuals. "Patient health care records" includes billing statements and invoices for treatment or services provided by a health care provider and includes health summary forms prepared under
s. 302.388 (2). "Patient health care records" does not include those records subject to
s. 51.30, reports collected under
s. 69.186, records of tests administered under
s. 252.15 (5g) or
(5j),
343.305,
938.296 (4) or
(5) or
968.38 (4) or
(5), records related to sales of pseudoephedrine products, as defined in
s. 961.01 (20c), that are maintained by pharmacies under
s. 961.235, fetal monitor tracings, as defined under
s. 146.817 (1), or a pupil's physical health records maintained by a school under
s. 118.125.
146.81(5)
(5) "Person authorized by the patient" means the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a minor patient, as defined in
s. 48.02 (8) and
(11), the person vested with supervision of the child under
s. 938.183 or
938.34 (4d),
(4h),
(4m), or
(4n), the guardian of a patient adjudicated incompetent in this state, the personal representative, spouse, or domestic partner under
ch. 770 of a deceased patient, any person authorized in writing by the patient or a health care agent designated by the patient as a principal under
ch. 155 if the patient has been found to be incapacitated under
s. 155.05 (2), except as limited by the power of attorney for health care instrument. If no spouse or domestic partner survives a deceased patient, "person authorized by the patient" also means an adult member of the deceased patient's immediate family, as defined in
s. 632.895 (1) (d). A court may appoint a temporary guardian for a patient believed incompetent to consent to the release of records under this section as the person authorized by the patient to decide upon the release of records, if no guardian has been appointed for the patient.
146.81 History
History: 1979 c. 221;
1981 c. 39 s.
22;
1983 a. 27;
1983 a. 189 s.
329 (1);
1983 a. 535;
1985 a. 315;
1987 a. 27,
70,
264;
1987 a. 399 ss.
403br,
491r;
1987 a. 403;
1989 a. 31,
168,
199,
200,
229,
316,
359;
1991 a. 39,
160,
269;
1993 a. 27,
32,
105,
112,
183,
385,
443,
496;
1995 a. 27 s.
9145 (1);
1995 a. 77,
98,
352;
1997 a. 27,
67,
75,
156,
175;
1999 a. 9,
32,
151,
180,
188;
2001 a. 38,
70,
74,
80,
89;
2005 a. 262,
387;
2007 a. 108;
2009 a. 28,
165,
209,
355.
146.81 Annotation
A letter written by a person not licensed as a health care provider under sub. (1) was not a record under sub. (4) prepared under the supervision of a health care provider under sub. (1) (j) when the person was employed by a corporation that employed health care professionals but the corporation's shareholders were not health care providers. Hart v. Bennet,
2003 WI App 231,
267 Wis. 2d 919,
672 N.W.2d 306,
02-2993.
146.81 Annotation
When a health care provider denied access to records on the ground that the patient was possibly incompetent to consent to the release of the records, it was obligated under sub.(5) to petition for a temporary guardian for the patient. Szymczak v. Terrace at St. Francis,
2006 WI App 3,
289 Wis. 2d 110,
709 N.W.2d 103,
04-2067.
146.815
146.815
Contents of certain patient health care records. 146.815(1)(1) Patient health care records maintained for hospital inpatients shall include, if obtainable, the inpatient's occupation and the industry in which the inpatient is employed at the time of admission, plus the inpatient's usual occupation.
146.815(2)(a)(a) If a hospital inpatient's health problems may be related to the inpatient's occupation or past occupations, the inpatient's physician shall ensure that the inpatient's health care record contains available information from the patient or family about these occupations and any potential health hazards related to these occupations.
146.815(2)(b)
(b) If a hospital inpatient's health problems may be related to the occupation or past occupations of the inpatient's parents, the inpatient's physician shall ensure that the inpatient's health care record contains available information from the patient or family about these occupations and any potential health hazards related to these occupations.
146.815(3)
(3) The department shall provide forms that may be used to record information specified under
sub. (2) and shall provide guidelines for determining whether to prepare the occupational history required under
sub. (2). Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a hospital or physician to collect information required in this section from or about a patient who chooses not to divulge such information.
146.815 History
History: 1981 c. 214.
146.817
146.817
Preservation of fetal monitor tracings and microfilm copies. 146.817(1)(1) In this section, "fetal monitor tracing" means documentation of the heart tones of a fetus during labor and delivery of the mother of the fetus that are recorded from an electronic fetal monitor machine.
146.817(2)(a)(a) Unless a health care provider has first made and preserved a microfilm copy of a patient's fetal monitor tracing, the health care provider may delete or destroy part or all of the patient's fetal monitor tracing only if 35 days prior to the deletion or destruction the health care provider provides written notice to the patient.
146.817(2)(b)
(b) If a health care provider has made and preserved a microfilm copy of a patient's fetal monitor tracing and if the health care provider has deleted or destroyed part or all of the patient's fetal monitor tracing, the health care provider may delete or destroy part or all of the microfilm copy of the patient's fetal monitor tracing only if 35 days prior to the deletion or destruction the health care provider provides written notice to the patient.
146.817(2)(c)
(c) The notice specified in
pars. (a) and
(b) shall be sent to the patient's last-known address and shall inform the patient of the imminent deletion or destruction of the fetal monitor tracing or of the microfilm copy of the fetal monitor tracing and of the patient's right, within 30 days after receipt of notice, to obtain the fetal monitor tracing or the microfilm copy of the fetal monitor tracing from the health care provider.
146.817(2)(d)
(d) The notice requirements under this subsection do not apply after 5 years after a fetal monitor tracing was first made.
146.817 History
History: 1987 a. 27,
399,
403.
146.819
146.819
Preservation or destruction of patient health care records. 146.819(1)(1) Except as provided in
sub. (4), any health care provider who ceases practice or business as a health care provider or the personal representative of a deceased health care provider who was an independent practitioner shall do one of the following for all patient health care records in the possession of the health care provider when the health care provider ceased business or practice or died:
146.819(1)(a)
(a) Provide for the maintenance of the patient health care records by a person who states, in writing, that the records will be maintained in compliance with
ss. 146.81 to
146.835.
146.819(1)(b)
(b) Provide for the deletion or destruction of the patient health care records.
146.819(1)(c)
(c) Provide for the maintenance of some of the patient health care records, as specified in
par. (a), and for the deletion or destruction of some of the records, as specified in
par. (b).
146.819(2)
(2) If the health care provider or personal representative provides for the maintenance of any of the patient health care records under
sub. (1), the health care provider or personal representative shall also do at least one of the following:
146.819(2)(a)
(a) Provide written notice, by 1st class mail, to each patient or person authorized by the patient whose records will be maintained, at the last-known address of the patient or person, describing where and by whom the records shall be maintained.
146.819(2)(b)
(b) Publish, under
ch. 985, a class 3 notice in a newspaper that is published in the county in which the health care provider's or decedent's health care practice was located, specifying where and by whom the patient health care records shall be maintained.
146.819(3)
(3) If the health care provider or personal representative provides for the deletion or destruction of any of the patient health care records under
sub. (1), the health care provider or personal representative shall also do at least one of the following:
146.819(3)(a)
(a) Provide notice to each patient or person authorized by the patient whose records will be deleted or destroyed, that the records pertaining to the patient will be deleted or destroyed. The notice shall be provided at least 35 days prior to deleting or destroying the records, shall be in writing and shall be sent, by 1st class mail, to the last-known address of the patient to whom the records pertain or the last-known address of the person authorized by the patient. The notice shall inform the patient or person authorized by the patient of the date on which the records will be deleted or destroyed, unless the patient or person retrieves them before that date, and the location where, and the dates and times when, the records may be retrieved by the patient or person.
146.819(3)(b)
(b) Publish, under
ch. 985, a class 3 notice in a newspaper that is published in the county in which the health care provider's or decedent's health care practice was located, specifying the date on which the records will be deleted or destroyed, unless the patient or person authorized by the patient retrieves them before that date, and the location where, and the dates and times when, the records may be retrieved by the patient or person.
146.819(4)
(4) This section does not apply to a health care provider that is any of the following:
146.819(4)(a)
(a) A community-based residential facility or nursing home licensed under
s. 50.03.
146.819(4)(f)
(f) A local health department, as defined in
s. 250.01 (4), that ceases practice or business and transfers the patient health care records in its possession to a successor local health department.
146.819 History
History: 1991 a. 269;
1993 a. 27;
1999 a. 9.
146.819 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
Med 21, Wis. adm. code.
146.82
146.82
Confidentiality of patient health care records. 146.82(1)(1)
Confidentiality. All patient health care records shall remain confidential. Patient health care records may be released only to the persons designated in this section or to other persons with the informed consent of the patient or of a person authorized by the patient. This subsection does not prohibit reports made in compliance with
s. 253.12 (2),
255.40, or
979.01; records generated or disclosed pursuant to rules promulgated under
s. 450.19; testimony authorized under
s. 905.04 (4) (h); or releases made for purposes of health care operations, as defined in
45 CFR 164.501, and as authorized under
45 CFR 164, subpart E.
146.82(2)
(2) Access without informed consent. 146.82(2)(a)(a) Notwithstanding
sub. (1), patient health care records shall be released upon request without informed consent in the following circumstances:
146.82(2)(a)1.
1. To health care facility staff committees, or accreditation or health care services review organizations for the purposes of conducting management audits, financial audits, program monitoring and evaluation, health care services reviews or accreditation.
146.82(2)(a)2.
2. To the extent that performance of their duties requires access to the records, to a health care provider or any person acting under the supervision of a health care provider or to a person licensed under
s. 256.15, including medical staff members, employees or persons serving in training programs or participating in volunteer programs and affiliated with the health care provider, if any of the following is applicable:
146.82(2)(a)2.b.
b. The person is being consulted regarding the health of the patient.
146.82(2)(a)2.c.
c. The life or health of the patient appears to be in danger and the information contained in the patient health care records may aid the person in rendering assistance.
146.82(2)(a)2.d.
d. The person prepares or stores records, for the purposes of the preparation or storage of those records.
146.82(2)(a)3.
3. To the extent that the records are needed for billing, collection or payment of claims.
