Which of the following must patients provide before releasing certain types of health information?

Patients must provide authorization before releasing certain types of health information to ensure their privacy rights are protected under laws such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Authorization is a specific, written consent that grants permission to a healthcare provider or covered entity to disclose certain protected health information (PHI) for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

This requirement is crucial because it empowers patients with control over their personal health information and helps safeguard sensitive data from unauthorized access or disclosure. Authorization typically specifies what information can be shared, with whom it can be shared, and for what purpose, ensuring that the patient's rights are respected.

In contrast, other options do not sufficiently meet the requirement. Consent may be too general and not legally binding for specific disclosures of health information. Notification refers to informing someone of an event but does not imply permission for releasing health information. Releasing an entire medical history without clear authorization may not be permitted under privacy regulations, which focus on safeguarding specific pieces of information that are deemed confidential.