the HREC should be retained by the activity until disposition is completed. The HREC will then be forwarded to the cognizant office of medical affairs or to the activity designated by the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) for Marine Corps members. In instances where the parent activity retains the HREC, a summary of the hospitalization will be entered on an SF 600 when the member returns to duty. When a member is hospitalized at a medical facility of a foreign nation, an entry of this fact should be made in the HREC. The HREC should be retained on board and continued until the patient either returns to duty or is transferred to another U.S. Navy vessel or U.S. military activity. Upon departure of the vessel from the port, the HREC should be delivered to the commanding officer for inclusion in the member’s service record for forwarding to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. SECURITY AND SAFEKEEPING OF MEDICAL RECORDS LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recall security and safekeeping procedures for medical records. Each MTF or medical department develops policies to ensure that medical records are secure and a patient’s privacy is protected. Security and safekeeping are major concerns and responsibilities of staff handling medical records. The medical record contains information that is personal to patients, treated as privileged information, and protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. The Privacy Act of 1974 protects a patient’s right to privacy in respect to personal medical information. The Privacy Act permits only the patients and their legal representatives to obtain this information. Medical facilities or departments should take precautions to avoid compromise of medical information during the movement and storage of medical records. Medical records should be handled by only authorized medical service personnel. Records should be stored in a locked area, room, or file to ensure safekeeping, unless there is a 24-hour watch in the records room. Refer to the MANMED for more detailed guidelines on medical record security and safekeeping. RELEASING MEDICAL INFORMATION LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize g u i d e l i n e s f o r re l e a s i n g m e d i c a l information. The Surgeon General (also titled Director, Naval Medicine) is the official responsible for administering and supervising the execution of SECNAVINST 5211.5, Department of the Navy Privacy Act Program (PAP), as it pertains to the Health Care Treatment Record System. Additionally, the Office of the Surgeon General authorizes requests for access and amendment to naval members’ medical and dental records. Commanding officers of Navy MTFs are designated as local systems managers for medical records maintained and serviced within their activities. Local systems managers are authorized to release information from health records located within the command if proper credentials have been established. The requesting office or individual will be advised that such information is private and must be treated with confidentiality. In all cases where information is disclosed, an entry must be made on OPNAV Form 5211/9, Record of Disclosure-Privacy Act of 1974, and should include the date, nature and purpose of the disclosure, and the name and address of the person or agency receiving the information. Maintain a copy of any such disclosure requests. GUIDELINES FOR RELEASING MEDICAL INFORMATION In the following paragraphs, we cover the policy for release of record transcripts. As will be noted, the appropriate rule for release to be implemented depends upon the intended recipient of the record transcript. 1. Release to the Public. Information contained in medical records of individuals who have undergone medical or dental examination or treatment is personal to the individual and considered private and privileged in nature. Consequently, disclosure of such information to the public would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Such information is exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act. However, MTF commanding officers may release some information to the public or the press without the patient’s or patient’s next of kin’s (NOK) consent. This 12-4