Sorry, but I posted a direct source saying EXACTLY what can be released. If you called the hospital and asked for a person by name, they can tell you if the person is there, unless they were instructed not to tell anyone. SAD isn’t exactly able to do this.
The hospital directory information to which you refer is for current patients and does not apply to patiens who have been deceased for many years.
A deceased person’s medical records are still protected under HIPAA and still require a waiver from a legal representative of the deceased before being released. The hospital cannot automatically tell a private investigator that SAD was never treated in the hospital.
There are also special HIPAA rules regarding the release of PHI when confirming a patient’s admittance in a facility would disclose the nature of the patient’s treatment. For example, if a clinic treats only drug addicts, then confirming a patient’s admittance to the facility discloses the fact that he or she is being treated for substance abuse.