The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is intended to help protect the confidentiality of your medical information. If you are hospitalized and you wish to have your pastor notified, you now must let your pastor know before you are admitted.

Wadsworth-Rittman Hospital will not routinely call pastors to advise them of a parishioner’s admission. The hospital will allow clergy who have identification to see the list of patients who choose to have their names
published. The information will include first and last name of patient, room
number, and the patient's condition. Some patients may choose NOT to have
their names listed and they will not appear on the list. Lay visitors will
need to know the name of the patient they wish to visit.

— TOM HIRSCHINGER