Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS) Practice

An accounting of disclosures must include disclosures for mandated state reporting because such disclosures are required by laws or regulations that demand reporting information to appropriate government authorities or agencies. These mandated disclosures fall under the guidelines set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which necessitate healthcare organizations to maintain documentation for certain types of disclosures to ensure compliance and accountability. This includes reporting communicable diseases, vital statistics, and any other information as required by state laws. In contrast, disclosures made to family members are typically considered to be authorized or permissible under certain circumstances and may not require formal accounting unless they relate to specific situations outlined in HIPAA. Similarly, disclosures for marketing purposes and for research purposes are generally governed by separate consent and authorization requirements, and specific regulations may dictate the accounting processes for those scenarios differently. Consequently, mandated state reporting stands out as essential and legally required for inclusion in an accounting of disclosures.