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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 OncoLogics, Inc. we are committed to handling and using
protected health information 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 April 14th, 2003
, and applies to all protected health information as defined
by federal and state regulations.
Understanding Your Health Record/Information
Each time you visit OncoLogics, Inc., a record of your visit is made. Typically,
this record contains your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnoses,
treatment, and a plan for future care or treatment. This information, often referred
to as your health or medical record, serves as a:
- Basis for planning your care and treatment,
- Means of communication among the many health professionals
who contribute to your care,
- Legal document describing the care you received,
- Means by which you or a third-party payer can verify that
services billed were actually provided,
- A tool in educating heath professionals,
- A source of data for medical research,
- A source of information for public health officials charged
with improving the health of this state and the nation,
- A source of data for our planning and marketing,
- A tool with which we can assess and continually work to improve
the care we render and the outcomes we achieve.
Understanding what is in your record and how your health
information is used helps you to: ensure its accuracy,
better understand who, what, when, where, and why others
may access your health information, and make more informed
decisions when authorizing disclosure to others.
Your Health Information Rights
Although your health record is the physical property of OncoLogics,
Inc., the information belongs to you. By providing a written
request to OncoLogics, Inc., you have the right to:
- Obtain a paper copy of this Notice
of Privacy Practices upon request as provided for in 45
CFR 164.520,
- Inspect and copy your designated record set as provided for
in 45 CFR 164.524,
- Request to amend your health record as provided in 45 CFR
164.526 if agreed to by OncoLogics, Inc.,
- Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information
as provided in 45 CFR 164.528,
- Request confidential communications of your health information
by alternative means or at alternative locations as provided
in 45 CFR 164.522,
- Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of
you information as provided in 45 CFR 164.522 if agreed to
by OncoLogics, Inc. and
Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information
except to the extent that action has already been taken as
provided in 45 CFR 164.508.
Our Responsibilities
OncoLogics, Inc. is required 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,
- Abide by the terms of this notice,
- Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction,
and
- Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate
health information by alternative means or at alternative
locations
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 may use health information about you to
provide you medical treatment or services. For example,
information obtained by a nurse, physician, or other
member of your health care 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 health care
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 other physicians or a subsequent
health care provider with copies of various reports that
may assist him or her in treating you.
Payment: We may use and disclose health
information about you so that the treatment and services
you receive at our facility may be billed and payment
may be collected. For example, a bill may be sent to
you, your insurance company 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.
Operations: We may use and disclose
health information about you for our facility's
operations. These uses and disclosures are necessary
to run the facility and make sure that all of our patients
receive quality care. For example, members of the medical
staff, the operations staff, or members of the administrative
staff 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 healthcare
and service we provide.
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 use health information
to contact you regarding fundraising activities related
to the facility or to provide you with information about
treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits
and services that may be of interest to you.
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 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
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 to public health or legal authorities charged
with preventing or controlling disease, injury, abuse,
neglect, domestic violence or disability.
Law Enforcement: We may disclose health information about
you for law enforcement purposes relating to criminal
conduct at our facility, about a victim of a crime or
in response to a valid subpoena, summons or similar process
as required by law.
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, so they may provide
protection to the President or other authorized persons
and other national security activities authorized by
law.
For More Information or to Report a Problem
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated,
you can file a complaint with the practice's Privacy
Officer or with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services. There will be no retaliation
for filing a complaint with either the Privacy Officer
or the Office for Civil Rights.
Privacy Officer: Mathilde McCann
337-237-2057 or 800-237-2057, extension 3187
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington , D.C. 20201
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 at www.oncologics.net. The
current notice will contain an edition number and effective
date located below.
OLI Form: Notice of Privacy Practices
Created: 1/21/03
Edition #: 1
Effective Date: 4/14/03
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