This Notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can obtain access to this information. Please review it carefully. This Notice describes the privacy practices of Huron Regional Medical Center (HRMC) and the practitioners who provide services to the patients at HRMC. Patient Health Information Under federal law, your patient health information is protected and confidential. Protected patient health information includes information about your symptoms, test results, diagnosis, treatment, and related medical information. Your protected health information also includes payment, billing, and insurance information. How We Use Your Patient Health Information We will share with each other health information about you for treatment, to obtain payment, and for health care operations. Under some circumstances, we may be required to use or disclose the information even without your consent. Examples of Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations Treatment: We will use and disclose your health information to provide you with medical treatment or services. For example, nurses, physicians, students, and other members of your treatment team will record information in your record and use it to determine the most appropriate course of care. We may also disclose the information to other health care providers who are participating in your treatment, and to family members or friends who are helping with your care, unless you object. Payment: We will use and disclose your health information for payment purposes. For example, we may need to obtain authorization from your insurance company or other third-party payors before providing certain types of treatment. We will submit bills and maintain records of payments from your health plan. Health Care Operations: We will use and disclose your health information to conduct our standard internal operations, for example evaluation of the quality of care you received and for accreditation purposes. Special Uses We may use your information to contact you for scheduling a procedure or with appointment reminders. We may also contact you to provide information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you. Your information may be released to other resource agencies for the purpose of continued healthcare needs. Other Uses and Disclosures We may use or disclose identifiable health information about you for other reasons, even without your permission. Subject to certain requirements, we are permitted to give out health information without your permission for the following purposes:
In any other situation, we will ask for your written authorization before using or disclosing any identifiable health information about you. If you choose to sign an authorization to disclose information, you can later revoke that authorization to stop any future uses and disclosures. Individual Rights You have the following rights with regard to your health information. Please contact hospital personnel or the person listed below to obtain the appropriate forms for exercising these rights. Request Restrictions: You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree to such restrictions, but if we do agree, we must abide by those restrictions. Confidential Communications: You may ask us to communicate with you confidentially by, for example, sending notices to a special address or not using postcards to remind you of appointments. Inspect and Obtain Copies: In most cases, you have the right to look at or get a copy of your health information. There may be a charge for the copies. Amend Information: If you believe that information in your record is incorrect, or if important information is missing, you have the right to request that we correct the existing information or add the missing information. Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of instances where we have disclosed health information about you for reasons other than treatment, payment, health care operations, or other exempted disclosures. Our Legal Duty We are required by law to protect and maintain the privacy of your health information, to provide this Notice about our legal duties and privacy practices regarding protected health information, and to abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect. Changes in Privacy Practices We may change our policies at any time. Before we make a significant change in our policies, we will change our Notice and post the new Notice in the admissions area. You can also request a copy of our Notice at any time. For more information about our privacy practices, contact the person listed below. Independent Contractors Huron Regional Medical Center and the physicians who practice at the hospital are independent contractors and do not hereby assume any liability for the services or conduct of each other. Complaints If you are concerned that we have violated your privacy rights, or if you disagree with a decision we made about your records, you may file a complaint in writing with the hospital. Please contact hospital personnel or the person listed below to obtain the appropriate forms for filing a complaint. You also may send a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The person listed below will provide you with the appropriate address upon request. You will not be penalized in any way for filing a complaint. Contact Person If you have any questions, requests, or complaints, please contact: Privacy Officer Effective Date: The effective date of this Notice is March 4, 2004. |