When we transport a patient from the scene to the hospital, it becomes necessary to complete a runsheet on the patient. The runsheet contains personal data such as the patient's name, address, social security number, birthdate, medical condition(s), medication(s), and other pertinent data. A complete list of what data elements we collect can be found on our runsheet page along with a representation of the runsheet forms that we use on our patients.
HIPAA was implemented to protect a patient's privacy in the electronic age. While our records to the hospital are written on paper, we also complete an electronic summary to the state each month detailing the data elements that we are required to collect for the state.
The HIPAA Privacy Rule permits an ambulance service to report a patient's treatment, medical history, and disclose protected health care information to the hospital without the patient's authorization.
Additional information on HIPAA can be found here: