Every time a University Health Services (UHS) provider or medical or mental health care staff member interacts with a patient—in an appointment, on the phone, or through Secure Messaging—information is documented in the patient’s confidential health record (also called ‘medical record’). The UHS Health Information Management (HIM) Department manages medical records within the patient’s electronic health record (EHR) and paper healthcare records. A patient’s medical record is a collection of these documented interactions.
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Expand all Collapse all333 East Campus Mall, 8th floor
Whether you’re a student or a non-student, the confidentiality, privacy, and security of your medical records are the responsibility of the health care facility that owns them, but you can help maintain confidentiality:
To learn more about how UHS protects your privacy and patient rights, visit our Privacy and Patient Rights page.
The privacy of your medical records maintained by UHS are protected by federal and state laws. The primary laws governing patient privacy and confidentiality are listed below (this is not an exhaustive list).
To ensure compliance with these laws, UHS does not disclose information to family members, or others, without your consent or authorization. However, in an emergency, our professional staff will exercise professional judgment to determine if family members, usually parents, should be informed of the situation even if the student withholds consent.
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Expand all Collapse allUHS requires that all requests for confidential health information are submitted in writing. Most of your medical records are available to you in MyUHS.
To request a copy of your medical records you can:
To send or share a copy of your medical records with someone, you must complete an Authorization for Release of Health Records. To ensure the highest level of privacy and confidentiality, submit your authorization through Downloadable Forms in MyUHS.
You will be required to show proper identification (e.g., valid UW student ID or driver’s license) to pick up your records in person. You may also request that your records be mailed or sent electronically.
Special permission is required to release healthcare records regarding alcohol or other drug assessments/treatments, HIV/AIDS testing/treatment, or mental health services.
Requests to release healthcare records for continuity of care purposes will be fulfilled within five business days after the request was received. If reasonable, same day or urgent requests may be honored. All other requests will be completed within 30 calendar days after the request was received. If we’re unable to complete the request within 30 calendar days, we may extend the time by no more than an additional 30 days. In these circumstances, we will inform you, in writing, of the reasons for the delay and the date by which we will provide access.
Parents or loved ones who are concerned about a student’s non-emergent health care situations should ask their student to grant UHS permission to speak with them.
UHS requires written authorization to formally release or discuss healthcare records but, in situations where obtaining written authorization may be impractical or urgent, students may grant permission over the phone for UHS clinical staff to speak with a parent or guardian.
With a student’s permission, UHS providers may speak with parents, and appreciate parental involvement in their student’s care, when it is appropriate. UHS providers work closely with students and their parents when a student experiences a significant, but not life threatening, illness or injury. Providers encourage students to allow them to contact their parents in these cases. However, if the student declines, the clinician legally must respect the student’s decision.
Patients cannot sign a blanket authorization for any use or disclosure of their healthcare information. We do not accept blanket authorizations. We require patients to submit an authorization to release healthcare information unless it meets the permissible exceptions listed in the UHS Notice of Privacy Practices.
You have the right to receive information about and assistance with advance directives and designating someone (known as a designated agent or power of attorney for health care power of attorney) to make health care decisions for you in the event you are unable to. Being a designated agent for advance directives or a power of attorney for health care does not automatically allow access to confidential health care information.
We strongly encourage you to maintain personal health records to quickly access health information when necessary. However, most of your healthcare information will be available to you on the MyUHS patient portal.
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Expand all Collapse allHealth Information Management
333 East Campus Mall, 8th floor
Phone: 608-262-1676
Fax: 608-262-9160
Email: him@uhs.wisc.edu
333 East Campus Mall
Monday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tuesday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Thursday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Lakeshore Clinic
– Dejope Hall
Monday - Friday: 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
(closed 12:40 - 1:40 p.m.)
333 East Campus Mall
Monday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tuesday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Wednesday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Thursday: 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.