WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FOR DISCLOSURE OF HEALTH CARE INFORMATION.

(a) Except as authorized by Section 241.153, a hospital or an agent or employee of a hospital may not disclose health care information about a patient to any person other than the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative without the written authorization of the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative.

(b) A disclosure authorization to a hospital is valid only if it:

(1) is in writing;

(2) is dated and signed by the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative;

(3) identifies the information to be disclosed;

(4) identifies the person or entity to whom the information is to be disclosed; and

(5) is not contained in the same document that contains the consent to medical treatment obtained from the patient.

(c) A disclosure authorization is valid until the 180th day after the date it is signed unless it provides otherwise or unless it is revoked.

(d) Except as provided by Subsection (e), a patient or the patient's legally authorized representative may revoke a disclosure authorization to a hospital at any time. A revocation is valid only if it is in writing, dated with a date that is later than the date on the original authorization, and signed by the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative.

(e) A patient or the patient's legally authorized representative may not revoke a disclosure that is required for purposes of making payment to the hospital for health care provided to the patient.

(f) A patient may not maintain an action against a hospital for a disclosure made by the hospital in good-faith reliance on an authorization if the hospital's medical record department did not have notice that the authorization was revoked.

(g) Repealed by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 498, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.