Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective: April 14, 2003
- This notice describes how medical information about you may
be used and disclosed and how you can access this information. Please
review it carefully.
The Company uses health information about you for treatment, to
obtain payment for treatment, for administrative purposes, and to evaluate
the quality of care that you receive. Your health information is contained
in a clinical record that is the physical property of the Company.
- How the Company may use or disclose your protected
health information (PHI)
- For Treatment. The Company may use your health
information to provide you with medical treatment or services. For example,
information obtained by a healthcare provider, such as a physician, nurse,
or other person providing health services to you, will record information
in your record that is related to your treatment. This information is
necessary for healthcare providers to determine what treatment you should
receive. Healthcare providers will also record actions taken by them
in the course of your treatment and note how you respond to the actions.
- For Payment. The Company may use and disclose
your health information to others for purposes of receiving payment for
treatment and services that you receive. For example, a bill may be sent
to you or a third-party payor, such as an insurance company or health
plan. The information on the bill may contain information that identifies
you, your diagnosis, and treatment or supplies used in the course of treatment.
- For Healthcare Operations. The Company may
use and disclose health information about you for operational purposes.
For example, your health information may be disclosed to members of the
healthcare staff, risk or quality improvement personnel, and to others
to:
- Evaluate the performance of our staff;
- Assess the quality of care and outcomes in your cases and in similar
cases;
- Learn how to improve our facilities and services; and
- Determine how to continually improve the quality and effectiveness
of the healthcare we provide.
- Appointments. The Company may use your information
to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives
or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest
to you.
- Required by Law. The Company may
use and disclose information about you as required by law. For example,
the Company may disclose information for the following purposes:
- For judicial and administrative proceedings pursuant
to legal authority;
- To report information related to victims of abuse, neglect or domestic violence; and
- To assist law enforcement officials in their law enforcement duties.
- Public Health. Your health information
may be used or disclosed for public health activities such as assisting
public health authorities or other legal authorities to prevent or control
disease, injury, or disability, or for other health oversight activities.
- Decedents. Health information may
be disclosed to funeral directors or coroners to enable them to carry
out their lawful duties.
- Organ/Tissue Donation. Your health
information may be used or disclosed for cadaveric organ, eye, or tissue
donation purposes.
- Research. The Company may use your
health information for research purposes when an institutional review
board or privacy board that has reviewed the research proposal and established
protocols to ensure the privacy of your health information has approved
the research.
- Health and Safety. Your health
information may be disclosed to avert a serious threat to the health
or safety of you or any other person pursuant to applicable law.
- Government Functions. Specialized
government functions such as protection of public officials or reporting
to various branches of the armed services that may require use or disclosure
of your health information.
- Workers' Compensation. Your
health information may be used or disclosed in order to comply with
laws and regulations related to Workers' Compensation.
- Your health information rights. You have the right
to:
- Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures
or your information as provided by 45 C.F.R. § 164.522; however,
the Company is not required to agree to a requested restriction;
- Obtain a paper copy of the notice of information practices upon request;
- Inspect and obtain a copy of your health record as provided for in
45 C.F.R. § 164.524;
- Amend your health record as provided in 45 C.F.R. § 164.526;
- Request communications of your health information by alternative
means or at alternative locations; however, transmission of PHI using
alternative means (such as the use of e-mail) may not be secure;
- Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except
to the extent that action has already been taken; and
- Receive an accounting of disclosures made of your health information
as provided by 45 C.F.R. § 164.528.
- Complaints. You may complain to
the Company and to the Department of Health and Human Services if you
believe your privacy rights have been violated. You will not be retaliated
against for filing a complaint.
- Obligations of the Company. The
Company is required to:
- Maintain the privacy of PHI;
- Provide you with this notice of its legal duties and privacy practices
with respect to your health information;
- Abide by the terms of this notice;
- Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction on
how your information is used or disclosed;
- Accommodate reasonable requests you may make to communicate health
information by alternative means or at alternative locations; and
- Obtain your written authorization to use or disclose your health
information for reasons other than those listed above and permitted
under law.
The Company reserves the right to change its information practices and
to make the new provisions effective for all PHI it maintains. Revised
notices will be made available to you in writing and upon request to
the Privacy Officer..
- Contact Information. If you have
any questions or complaints, please contact:
Corporate Privacy Officer
1-800-595-1158
