NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES FOR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Introduction
At Laurel Cancer Care we are committed to handling and using Protected Health Information (PHI) about you responsibly. This Notice of Privacy Practices describes the personal information we collect, and how and when we use or disclose that information. It also describes your rights as they relate to your protected health information. This Notice is effective February l, 2013 and applies to all protected health information as defined by federal and state regulations.
Your Health Information Rights
Although your health record is the physical property of Laurel Cancer Care, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:
- Obtain a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices upon request.
- Inspect and request a copy of your medical records.
- Request to amend your health record if you feel that the medical information, we have about you is incorrect or incomplete.
- Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information.
- Request communications of your health information by alternative means or at alternative locations.
- Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information. You may request a restriction to a health plan if the purpose of the disclosure is not related to treatment and the service or item was paid out-of-pocket in full.
- Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken.
- Receive notice if a breach occurs. You have the right to be notified upon a breach of your health information.
Our Responsibilities
Laurel Cancer Care is committed to protecting your medical information. We are required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy of your health information,
- Provide you with this notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you, and
- Abide by the terms of this
We will not use or disclose your health information without your authorization, except as described in this notice or provided by laws that apply to us. We will also discontinue using or disclosing your health information after we have received a written revocation of the authorization according to the procedures included in the authorization.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
Treatment: We will use and disclose your health information for treatment. We may disclose health information to doctors, nurses, technicians, or other personnel, including people outside our office, who are involved in your treatment and need the information to provide you with medical care.
Payment: We will use and disclose your health information to bill and collect payments from you or a third party for the treatment and service you received. We may also disclose your health information to your health plan so that they will pay for your treatment.
Health Care Operations: We will use and disclose your health information for regular health care operations.
Data Breach Notification: We may use or disclose your health information to provide legally required notices of unauthorized access to your health information.
Business Associates: We may use or disclose health information about you to our business associates so that they can perform the job we’ve asked them to do. For example, transcription services, telephone answering service, and medical software support services are contracted. To protect your health information, however, we require the business associate to appropriately safeguard your information.
Notification: We may use or disclose health information about you to notify you in order to prepare you for treatment, provide appointment reminders or other notification relevant to your care.
Individuals Involved In Your Care: We may disclose health information about you to a family member, personal representative or friend that you have identified or who is involved in your medical care or payment related to that care.
Photographs: We may use photographs to document various aspects of your medical treatment. These photos and related information may also be used for educational purposes.
Research: We may use or disclose health information about you for research purposes when the research has been approved by an institutional review board and that has reviewed the research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of your health information.
Fundraising/Marketing: We may contact you to provide appointment reminders. We may also contact you about services or fundraisers that pertain to our clinic.
As Required By Law: We will disclose health information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law.
Military and Veterans: We may use or disclose health information about you if you are a member of the armed forces or a veteran of the armed forces as required by military command authorities or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): We may disclose to the FDA or third parties under the jurisdiction of the FDA, health information relative to adverse events with respect to food, supplements, product and product defects, to track FDA-regulated products or post marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs, or replacement.
Workers Compensation: We may disclose health information about you 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 Risks: We may disclose health information about you for public health purposes, including, for example, disclosures to public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, abuse, neglect, domestic violence or disability or to other third parties as authorized by law.
Law Enforcement: We may disclose health information about you for law enforcement purposes, as required by law, or in response to a valid subpoena or summons.
Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose health information about you to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law such as audits, investigations, inspections and licensure.
Correctional Institution: Should you be an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose to the institution or agents thereof, health information necessary for your health, and the health and safety of other individuals.
National Security, Intelligence Activities and Protective Services for the President and Others: We may disclose health information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law.
To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may disclose health information about you to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person.
Judicial or Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose your health information in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.
Decedents: We may disclose health information to coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors as necessary for them to fulfill their duties.
Organ Donation: Consistent with applicable law, we may disclose health information to facilitate organ and tissue donation and procurement.
For More Information or to Report a Problem
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with our practice directly by calling 601-425-2999.
You may also file your complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change our practices and to make the new provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain. Should our information practices change, you have the right to request a current copy by contacting any of our centers listed on this notice or by visiting our website:
