Which document is required to release an athlete's medical records to a new physician?

• A. Athlete must sign an authorization for release of medical information.
• B. Athlete must sign an informed consent statement.
• C. Athlete must present insurance info.
• D. Athlete must fill out a new patient info sheet.

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that transferring medical records to another physician requires a signed authorization to release protected health information. Under privacy rules, a patient must authorize who will receive the information, what specific records are included, and for what purpose, often with an expiration date. An authorization for release of medical information is exactly the document that satisfies this requirement.

Informed consent, by contrast, is about agreeing to proposed medical treatment or procedures with the current provider, not about sharing records. Insurance information and a new patient information sheet do not authorize releasing records between providers, so they don’t fulfill this requirement.