Notice of Privacy Practices
| THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY. |
Understanding Your Health Record/Information
When a resident is admitted to Christian Rest Home Association a record of healthcare information is compiled and maintained. Typically, this record contains symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses, treatment, and a plan for future care or treatment. This information, often referred to as the health or medical record serves as:
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A basis for planning your care and treatment |
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A means of communication among the many health professionals who contribute to your care |
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A legal document describing the care you received |
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A means by which you or a third-party payer can verify that services billed were actually provided |
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A tool in educating health professionals |
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A source of data for research |
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A source of information for public health officials charged with oversight of the provision of medical care |
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A source of data for facility planning and marketing |
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A tool with which we can assess and continually work to improve the care we render and the outcomes we achieve |
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An understanding of what is in your record and how your health information is used to help you to: |
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Ensure its accuracy |
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Better understand who, what, when, where and why others may access your health information. |
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Make more informed decisions when authorizing disclosure to others |
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Your Health Information
Although your health record is the physical property of the Christian Rest Home Association the information belongs to you. You have the right to:
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Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information |
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Obtain a paper copy of the notice of information practices upon request |
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Inspect and copy your health record |
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Amend your health record |
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Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information |
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Request communication of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations |
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Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken |
Your health information rights are delineated in the Code of Federal Regulations 164.524-164.528
Our Responsibilities
This organization is required to:
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Maintain the privacy of your health information |
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Provide you with a notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you |
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Abide by the terms of this notice |
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Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction |
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Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by alternative means or at alternative locations |
We reserve the right to change our practices and to make new provisions regarding the protected health information we maintain. Should our information practices change, we will mail a revised notice to the address you’ve supplied us.
We will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice.
For More Information or to Report a Problem
If you have questions and would like additional information, you may contact the Christian Rest Home Director of Social Services at 616-453-2475 ext. 216.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with the director of health information management or with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint.
Examples of Disclosures for Treatment, Payment, and Health Operations
We will use your health information for treatment
For example: Information obtained by a nurse, physician, or other member of your healthcare team will be recorded in your record and used to determine the course of treatment that should work best for you. Your physician will document in your record his or her expectations of the members of your health care team. Members of your healthcare team will then record the actions they took and their observations. In that way, the physician will know how you are responding to treatment.
We will also provide your physician or a subsequent health care provider with copies of various reports that should assist him or her in treating you once you’re discharged from this facility (if applicable).
We will use your health information for payment.
For example: A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer. The information on or accompanying the bill may include information that identifies you, as well as your diagnosis, procedures, and supplies used.
We will use your health information for regular health operations.
For example: Members of the medical staff, the risk or quality assurance manager, or members of the quality assurance team may use information in your health record to assess the care and outcomes in your case and others like it. This information will then be used in an effort to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the health care and service we provide.
Uses and Disclosures for which an Authorization is not required:
Business Associates: There are some services provided in our organization through contacts with Business Associates. Examples include diagnostic services, certain laboratory tests, and a transcription service we use to document your health record. When these services are contracted, we may disclose your health information to our Business Associates so that they can perform the job we’ve asked them to do and bill you or your third-party payer for services rendered. To protect your health information, however, we require the business associate to appropriately safeguard your information.
Research: We may disclose information to researchers when their research has been approved by an institutional review board that has reviewed the research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of your health information.
Funeral directors: We may disclose health information to funeral directors consistent with applicable law to carry out their duties.
Autopsy/Organ donation: With your consent and consistent with applicable law, we may disclose health information to entities involved with autopsy and organ donation.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): We may disclose to the FDA health information relative to adverse events with respect to food, supplements, product and product defects, or post marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs, or replacement.
Workers compensation: We may disclose health information to the extent authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with laws relating to workers compensation or other similar programs established by law.
Public health: As required by law, we may disclose your health information to public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability.
Law enforcement: We may disclose health information for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in response to a valid subpoena.
Public Health Authority: Federal law makes provision for your health information to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority, or attorney, provided that a work force member or business associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards and are potentially endangering one or more patients, workers or the public.
Uses and Disclosures for which an Authorization is required
Resident Directory: Unless you notify us that you object, we will use your name, location in the facility, general condition, and religious affiliation for directory purposes or contact by the Christian Rest Home Resident Council welcoming committee. This information may be provided to members of the clergy and to other people who ask for you by name. A photograph will be taken of residents for identification purposes and placed in the medical record and in the resident’s room.
Notification and Communication with Family: Health professionals, using their best judgment may use or disclose information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, your location, general condition and health information relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment related to your care.
Marketing: We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. Photographs may also be taken and posted to publicize the facility’s events and activities (in common areas or in facility publications). The facility may also print (with permission) resident’s life stories or experiences at the home in its publications.
Fundraising: We may contact you as part of a fundraising effort.
This notice for privacy practices is in effect as of April 14, 2003 |
