HIM 422 Module 7 Journal Example

Reviewed by Delia Ravenscroft, MSN, RN

This HIM 422 Module 7 Journal sample reflects on what it means to release patient information ethically, not just legally, through three requests that crossed one supervisor's desk on the same day. It is written for SNHU HIM 422 (HIM-422), and in it access rules and professional values sit side by side, the balance BS Health Information Management journals keep asking for. At the composite 260-bed hospital in eastern Washington, a patient was quoted a per-page fee for an electronic copy of her record, a mother asked for her 16-year-old son's chart, including care he had consented to on his own, and a patient asked that the words drug-seeking be deleted from a note. The journal works through each request, draws on research about hospital records practices, open notes and stigmatizing language and reflects on the writer's role as the patient's advocate.

CourseHIM 422 Ethical and Legal Considerations in Health Information Management
ModuleModule 7
Paper typeundergraduate reflective journal on ethical dilemmas in releasing patient information
LengthAbout 460 words, 3 pages
FormatAPA 7 student paper
SchoolSouthern New Hampshire University
ProgramBS Health Information Management
UpdatedSeptember 2026

Free sample paper for HIM 422 Module 7

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Module Seven Journal

Three Requests Before Lunch

By noon on Wednesday, three requests had reached my desk, and each one tested the difference between what I am allowed to do and what I ought to do. None was unusual. That is what made the day worth writing about.

What this page is doingThe journal frames the day as a test of law versus ethics.
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The first came from a patient who asked for her complete record sent electronically to her own email. A new staff member quoted her our paper copy rate, 75 cents a page, which for a record of 900 pages would have cost her more than most people pay for a month of groceries. HIPAA allows only a reasonable, cost-based fee for a patient's own copy, and federal guidance offers a flat fee of up to $6.50 for electronic copies of electronic records as a simple option. Lye et al. (2018) contacted 83 top hospitals and found frequent mismatches between what request forms said and what staff told patients, including fees above federal guidance. We had become one of those hospitals without noticing. I corrected the quote and scheduled a retraining.

The second was from a mother who wanted her 16-year-old son's full chart. Most of it she could have. But Washington allows minors to consent to certain kinds of care on their own, and for one of his visits he had done exactly that. For those services the minor generally controls access, so I released the rest of the record and explained, without revealing what was withheld, that some care is protected by law for adolescents. She was angry, and I understood why.

The third came from a patient who read a note calling her "drug-seeking" and asked us to delete it. Patients may request an amendment, and we may deny it if the record is accurate and complete, but she can then file a statement of disagreement that travels with the record. In the long-running OpenNotes surveys, most patients with access to their visit notes told Walker et al. (2019) that reading them improved their understanding and their confidence in their care, and Park et al. (2021) identified stigmatizing language in physician notes that questions patients' credibility or labels them as difficult. I routed her request to the physician with a copy of our language guidance, and I told her exactly what her options were.

What this page is doingEach request is analyzed with law, research and the writer's action.
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Looking back, the law gave me a clear answer in each case, but it did not tell me how to treat the person asking. The ethical part was quoting a fair fee without making her argue for it, protecting a teenager's trust while respecting his mother and taking a patient's hurt seriously instead of defending the chart by reflex. I want my department to be the place where patients learn what their rights are, not the place where they find out too late.

What this page is doingThe journal ends with a personal reflection on advocacy.
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References

Lye, C. T., Forman, H. P., Gao, R., Daniel, J. G., Hsiao, A. L., Mann, M. K., deBronkart, D., Campos, H. O., & Krumholz, H. M. (2018). Assessment of US hospital compliance with regulations for patients' requests for medical records. JAMA Network Open, 1(6), Article e183014. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.3014

Park, J., Saha, S., Chee, B., Taylor, J., & Beach, M. C. (2021). Physician use of stigmatizing language in patient medical records. JAMA Network Open, 4(7), Article e2117052. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.17052

Walker, J., Leveille, S., Bell, S., Chimowitz, H., Dong, Z., Elmore, J. G., Fernandez, L., Fossa, A., Gerard, M., Fitzgerald, P., Harcourt, K., Jackson, S., Payne, T. H., Perez, J., Shucard, H., Stametz, R., DesRoches, C., & Delbanco, T. (2019). OpenNotes after 7 years: Patient experiences with ongoing access to their clinicians' outpatient visit notes. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(5), Article e13876. https://doi.org/10.2196/13876

What the HIM 422 Module 7 instructions ask for

The HIM 422 release of information journal usually asks you to reflect on the ethical side of releasing patient information, using your own experience or realistic scenarios. A journal of roughly 400 to 550 words that cites two or three sources in APA 7 suits most versions. Choose one or more concrete requests, identify the rule that governs each, such as the right of access, fee limits, minor consent laws or the right to request amendment, and then explain the ethical question the rule leaves open. Reflect honestly on how you would treat the person asking and what your department should change. Journals reward personal insight, so include your own reactions alongside the legal and ethical analysis.

How this HIM 422 Module 7 journal example is built

Three requests reach a release of information supervisor at Tamarack Valley Medical Center in one morning. A patient is quoted 75 cents a page for a 900-page electronic record, which Lye and colleagues' findings on hospital fee practices help explain before the fee is corrected. A mother asks for her 16-year-old son's chart, and care he consented to on his own under Washington law is withheld without being revealed. A patient asks to remove "drug-seeking" from a note, and Walker and colleagues on open notes and Park and colleagues on stigmatizing language shape a response that routes the request and explains amendment and disagreement rights. A closing paragraph reflects on advocacy.

Where the HIM 422 Module 7 rubric puts the points

Release of information journals in HIM 422 tend to be marked on accurate application of access and disclosure rules, thoughtful ethical reflection beyond the rules, connection to health information management practice, use of sources and clear, personal writing. Entries that stand out distinguish the legal answer from the ethical manner of carrying it out, such as protecting a minor's confidentiality without disclosing what was withheld. Graders reward concrete actions, like correcting a fee and retraining staff, and honest acknowledgment of hard feelings on all sides. Using research to show that a problem is common, not just personal, strengthens the reflection considerably. Short, clear paragraphs for each request help the grader follow.

HIM 422 Module 7 help: the mistakes that cost points

Release of information journals lose points when they describe rules without reflection, misstate fee limits, ignore state laws on minors or treat an amendment request as a simple yes or no. Another frequent gap is forgetting that patients can file a statement of disagreement when an amendment is denied. If your prompt describes a different dilemma, such as a request from law enforcement, a deceased patient's family or an employer, send it with the prompt and any required readings so the journal applies the right rules. Name your state if the prompt allows. A custom entry can keep the same structure of request, rule, research, action and reflection.

Get HIM 422 Module 7 written to your instructions

Share the HIM 422 Module 7 journal prompt and any release scenario you want to reflect on. The entry will identify the rule behind each request, explain the ethical question it leaves open, cite research and reflect honestly on your role, ready in 24 to 48 hours, with the first one free. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Southern New Hampshire University document.

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More HIM 422 papers and related BS Health Information Management samples

HIM 422 Module 7 questions, answered

Where can I find a free HIM 422 Module 7 Journal sample?

The complete HIM 422 Module 7 journal is on this page: three release of information dilemmas in one day, from copy fees to a minor's records and a stigmatizing note.

How much can a hospital charge a patient for a copy of their record?

HIPAA allows only a reasonable, cost-based fee; federal guidance also permits a flat fee of up to $6.50 for electronic copies of electronic records.

Can a parent always see a teenager's medical record?

Not always. When state law lets a minor consent to certain care, the minor generally controls access to records of that care.

Can a patient have a note changed if they disagree with it?

They can request an amendment; if it is denied because the record is accurate, they may file a statement of disagreement that stays with the record.

What is stigmatizing language in medical records?

Wording that questions a patient's credibility, expresses disapproval or labels them, such as describing someone as drug-seeking or difficult.