Under what circumstances shall personal health information be released?

The release of personal health information is primarily governed by laws and regulations that ensure patient privacy and confidentiality. The correct answer encompasses a fundamental principle of health information management: personal health information should only be disclosed under specific circumstances that comply with applicable regulations and ethical standards.

In the context of the question, personal health information can indeed be released when authorized by the individual or their representative, which aligns with the principle of consent in healthcare. This ensures that individuals have control over their personal data and can choose to whom it is disclosed.

Additionally, health care facilities responsible for a patient's care have legitimate reasons for accessing personal health information. This access is often necessary for continuity of care, treatment planning, or effective healthcare delivery.

Lastly, lawyers representing individuals may also request personal health information, particularly in legal cases involving health issues. This is generally conditioned upon appropriate consent or legal provisions allowing such requests.

However, the option suggesting that personal health information should only be released when requested by a health care facility appears to misinterpret the broader scope of circumstances under which this information can be disclosed. In practice, all the listed circumstances are valid, thereby making an answer that includes them all as necessary under different contexts. Thus, recognizing the legal frameworks and individual rights surrounding health information helps clarify when