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DPCLO Guidance

Defense Privacy Board Advisory Opinions

APPLICATION OF THE PRIVACY ACT TO INFORMATION IN HOSPITAL COMMITTEE MINUTES

The Privacy Act grants access to records contained in systems of records. 5 U.S.C. § 552a(d)(1). To qualify as a "system of records," the information must be retrieved by an individual's name or other identifying particular. 5 U.S.C. § 552a(a)(5). Hospital committee minutes not filed or indexed under an individual's name or other identifying particular are not within a system of records subject to the Privacy Act. Hence, access to those minutes may be denied the individual requesting them under that statute.