Directions for Completing the Authorization to Release Information
**Note: Release of information will occur after hospital discharge
Section A:
1. Provide the patient’s name, date of birth, phone number, and last 4 digits of SSN (this is
optional).
2. Provide the name of the recipient (receiver) of the information. The recipient is whoever is going
to receive the records. The recipient of the information may be someone other than the patient. It
may be the patient’s spouse, parent, power of attorney, another healthcare provider, etc. If the
recipient’s name is the same as the patient, just write “SELF”
3. If the recipient is the patient, provide the address of the patient. If the recipient is different than
the patient, provide the address and phone number of the recipient.
4. Next check the method of delivery: paper copy, electronic copy (CD, DVD, etc.) or email. If you
want the information faxed to your provider, indicate the fax number. If by email, select whether
you want the email encrypted or not encrypted. Provide the email address, if you selected email.
When requesting medical records to be sent unencrypted via email, your health information is
not protected from unauthorized access.
5. Indicate when this form expires. Put a date or an event (event example: the end of my outpatient
therapy), but not both.
6. Provide the reason for disclosure, examples are: further treatment, insurance purposes, for
attorney, personal use, etc.
7. Indicate from which hospital you need records.
8. Were you seen by a psychiatrist/psychologist while at the hospital and do you want notes by
them? If YES, select YES and you have to fill out two authorization forms, one for the behavioral
health reports and one for the other types of reports. If NO, select NO and continue.
9. At DESCRIPTION indicate what information you are requesting. Most common is the abstract,
which contains the discharge summary, history and physical, ER report, consults and operative
reports from the physicians, along with test results such as labs, radiology, and pathology.
Otherwise, indicate the specific information you need. Please indicate the dates of service.
10. Initial that you acknowledge and consent that the information requested may contain the special
types of information listed.
11. There may be a copy fee for the information you requested. Most requests will be sent to our
copy service at Tampa Shared Service Center. Their contact information is on the top of the
other side of this form.
Section B:
1. Are you using the information you requested for marketing purposes or selling the information, if
not, answer NO and skip the next two questions and go to Section C. If YES, answer YES and
continue with the next two questions.
2. If you are going to receive money in exchange for this information, answer YES. Otherwise
answer NO.
3. If you give permission to the recipient (receiver) to exchange the information for money, answer
YES. Otherwise answer NO.
Section C:
1. The patient must sign and date the form. OR
2. The patient’s LEGAL representative, example: power of attorney, legal guardian, healthcare
surrogate, must sign and date the form. (A spouse is not a LEGAL representative unless they
have LEGAL power of attorney or healthcare surrogacy paperwork.)
3. A copy of the LEGAL paperwork must be with this request.
Please send a copy of the patient’s ID or the legal paperwork mentioned above, along with this request, to
Tampa Shared Service Center. Their contact information is on the other side of this form.
HCA-840-00434 Rev. 03/19