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Please allow me to clarify what happens at a race track in the worst case situation to meet the legal requirements of the Federal HIPPA Act and to also protect the feelings of the family of the individual. The following is an excerpt from a memo to all of our officials:
"Late in 2003 the Federal Government passed a law called “Health Information Portability and Accountability Act” (HIPAA). Anyone who has been in a doctor’s office since this has passed knows the precaution the medical industry is taking and the paperwork they are providing to protect themselves. Persons involved in auto racing are definitely not immune from this law, as it is presently written, and race officials could be especially vulnerable.
This law prevents anyone (doctors, EMTs, ambulance crews, hospitals, tracks, track announcers and officials) from disclosing any patient information. This includes radio transmissions that might be overheard or intercepted! The consequences of violating the act are federal fines and potential lawsuits from the patient and/or their family.
The only persons who may legally release information are the patient, a designated family member or a person with power-of-attorney."
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