HIPAA Privacy Regulations: Definitions - Direct Treatment Relationship - § 164.501

As Contained in the HHS Final HIPAA Privacy Rules

Direct treatment relationship means a treatment relationship between an individual and a health care provider that is not an indirect treatment relationship.

This term was not included in the proposed rule. Direct treatment relationship means a relationship between a health care provider and an individual that is not an indirect treatment relationship (see definition of indirect treatment relationship, below). For example, outpatient pharmacists and Web-based providers generally have direct treatment relationships with patients. Outpatient pharmacists fill prescriptions written by other providers, but they furnish the prescription and advice about the prescription directly to the patient, not through another treating provider. Web-based providers generally deliver health care independently, without the orders of another provider.

A provider may have direct treatment relationships with some patients and indirect treatment relationships with others. In some provisions of the final rule, providers with indirect treatment relationships are excepted from requirements that apply to other providers. See § 164.506 regarding consent for uses and disclosures of protected health information for treatment, payment, and health care operations, and § 164.520 regarding notice of information practices. These exceptions apply only with respect to the individuals with whom the provider has an indirect treatment relationship.