Code of Federal Regulations Title 5. Administrative Personnel § 5.2100.5 Access by individuals

(a) No individual will be allowed access to any information compiled or maintained in reasonable anticipation of civil actions or proceedings, or otherwise exempt under § 2100.12. Requests for pending investigations will be denied and the requester instructed to forward another request giving adequate time for the investigation to be completed. Requesters shall be provided the telephone number so they can call and check on the status in order to know when to resubmit the request.

(b) Any individual may authorize the facility to provide a copy of his/her records to a third party. This authorization must be in writing and shall be provided to the facility with the initial request.

(c) Access to records may be authorized to the legal guardian or conservator acting on behalf of an individual who has been declared to be incompetent due to physical or mental incapacity or age by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(d) When an individual requesting access to his/her record wishes to be accompanied by another individual during the course of the examination of the record, the individual making the request shall submit to the official having operational control of the record, a signed statement authorizing that person access to the record.

(e) If medical records are requested and a USSAH or USNH practitioner believes that access to the records by the subject could harm that person's mental or physical health, the requester will be asked to name a practitioner to receive the records. If this requirement poses a hardship on the individual, he/she will be offered the service of an USSAH or USNH practitioner other than the one who provided treatment. If the individual refuses to name a recipient, the record will not be released.