Your appointment activity, testing, and test results are confidential. Your health care team limits discussion to diagnosis, treatment, and care.
Student Health has a full and complete explanation of confidentiality and privacy here.
You can access your lab results through the secure portal, MySHR. This portal is also where you can send secure messages that are received by the health care provider teams.
Case Reporting to Public Health
Health care providers are required to report specific communicable disease occurrence to public health agencies; which in the case for USC is the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. The comprehensive list is published online. The STIs on this list of particular relevance for college populations are:
- HIV (can be transmitted through sexual contact)
- Gonorrhea (can be transmitted through sexual contact)
- MPOX (not classified as a traditional STI, but can be transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual activity. Note: vaccine is available.)
- Syphilis (can be transmitted through sexual contact)
Note: Chlamydia is a very common infection that is not on the reportable illnesses list, however, it is a very common and occurs primarily in people ages 15-24 years of age. Most people with the infection have no symptoms and do not seek testing.
All people under the age of 25 who are sexually active, especially with a new partner, are recommended to get test for chlamydia, as well as know their HIV status. Tests for gonorrhea and syphilis may be recommended by practices or population. See the testing guide sheet.
Public Health may contact individuals when their case is referred to their agency; is some cases they may ask for information that assists in contact tracing. In most cases, however, notifying current or previous partners of their potential exposure to an STI (or other illness) is the responsibility of the person with the positive test result.
Notifying Partners of a Positive Test
It is difficult to share an STI status with a partner, whether it is a recent diagnosis or a chronic illness. But it is important to share this information so your partner(s) can get the testing and treatment they need. Your Student Health provider will even give you “partner prescriptions” so your partner can get started on immediate treatment without delay. (This is what is called expedited partner therapy, where health care providers can provide prescriptions to patients diagnosed with chlamydia or gonorrhea to give to their partners without first examining the partner. Ask your provider about this service.)
Having a conversation in a neutral space, calmly, can make this easier for both you and your partner. Read additional advice for having an open and honest conversation to disclose an STI status.
Insurance: Billing Confirmation to Policyholders
Insurance companies (for lab tests) do keep a record of laboratory services. A confirmation of lab services that are charged to insurance is sent to the insurance policyholder, which may be a parent, guardian, or spouse if you are on their insurance.
If you are on the USC Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP/Aetna), you are the policyholder and the only person who will receive this lab services confirmation; if you are on a family member’s plan, they will receive a confirmation of billing for lab services.
Another option to keep lab services off insurance billing confirmations is to pay for tests “out of pocket.” The current costs for STI laboratory tests are $30.62 for chlamydia/gonorrhea panel, $9.12 for HIV testing, and $3.05 for syphilis testing. If you wish to pay for these services through credit card or cash without using a family member’s plan, you may do so through the Insurance and Billing office in Student Health.
Sexual Assault and Confidentiality
Keeping confidentiality of disclosed information from a survivor is important to your entire health care team. The specialized team (Confidential Advocates, in Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services) are in a category of what is considered a confidential resource—what is shared with this category of employee does not require reporting to campus authorities or law enforcement. If you need medical attention in relation to a sexual assault, the confidential advocate will arrange transport to a specialized center (SART center) that will provide medical care (including STI testing, emergency contraception, post-exposure prophylaxis medications), evidence collection, and supportive services.
The Rape Treatment Center of UCLA Santa Monica Hospital is the partner of choice for these services. Evidence is collected and stored in perpetuity, services are at no cost to clients, and there is no billing to insurance that may prompt billing confirmation.