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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.
Thank you for choosing the Medical Center Clinic for your healthcare
needs. Each time you visit one of our providers, we create a record
of the care and services you receive. We understand that this health
information about you and your healthcare is personal and we want you
to know that we are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality
of that information.
In order for us to provide you with healthcare services, obtain payment
for our services, and manage our healthcare operations we will need
to use and disclose your protected health information. This notice explains
how we may use and disclose your health information for these purposes,
as well as your rights regarding the health information we maintain
about you. We reserve the right to revise the terms of our notice, at
any time. You may obtain a copy of the revised notice by calling your
physician’s office and requesting that one be sent to you by mail,
by asking for one at your physician’s office, or by downloading
a copy from this web site. A download link is available at the bottom of this page.
Our Obligations
The law requires us to:
- Make sure that health information that identifies you is kept private;
- Provide you this notice which describes our health information privacy practices and legal duties;
- Provide you a new copy of the notice should we revise it; and
- Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.
- Examples of Disclosures for Treatment, Payment and Health Operations.
Treatment:
We will use and disclose your health information so that our physicians,
nurses, technicians, and other participants in the West Florida Healthcare
System may provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and any related
services. For example: Information about your past medical history,
vital signs, or allergies obtained by a member of our healthcare team
will be recorded in your medical record and used by your physician to
determine the course of treatment that should work best for you. Your
physician will then document his or her findings and prescribed medical
course of action, and members of your healthcare team will record their
subsequent actions and observations. In that way, the physician will
know how you are responding to treatment. We may also disclose your
health information to another physician or healthcare provider (e.g.,
a laboratory or specialist) to whom we have referred you for assistance
in your diagnosis and treatment.
Payment:
Your health information will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for
your healthcare services. 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.
Health Care Operations:
We may use and disclose you health information, as needed, to support
our business activities. For example: Members of the medical staff,
the risk management officer, or members of the quality improvement 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 healthcare and service we provide.
Other Uses and Disclosures
As Required by Law:
We may disclose your health information when required
to do so by federal, state, or local law.
Business Associates:
There are some services provided in our organization through contacts
with business associates. Examples include transcription services, physician
services in radiology, certain laboratory tests, and medical records
transfer services. When these services are contracted, we may disclose
your health information to our business associate so that they can perform
the job we have 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.
Appointment Reminders:
We may use and disclose your health information to contact you as a
reminder that you have a scheduled appointment. Please let us know if
you do not wish us to contact you with reminders, or if you wish us
to contact you at a different number.
Treatment Alternatives or Health-Related
Services:
We may use or disclose health information to tell you about health-related
services or to recommend possible treatment options or alternatives
that may be of interest to you. Please let us know if you do not want
us to contact regarding this information.
Communication with family:
Health professionals, using their best judgment, may disclose to a family
member, other relative, close personal friend or any other person you
identify, health information relevant to that person’s involvement
in your care or payment for services related to your care.
Research:
We may use and disclose information to researchers when an institutional
review board that has reviewed the research proposal and established
protocols to ensure the privacy of your health information has approved
the research.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA):
We may disclose to the FDA health information relative to ad-verse events
with respect to food, supplements, product and product defects, or post
marketing surveillance information to enable product recalls, repairs,
or replacement.
Worker’s compensation:
We may disclose health information to the extent authorized by and to
the extent necessary to comply with laws relating to worker’s
compensation or other similar programs established by law.
Military and Veterans:
If you are a member of the armed forces, or separated or discharged
from the military services, we may disclose your health information
as required by national military command authorities or the Department
of Veterans Affairs.
Public health:
We may disclose your health information to a public health authority
that is permitted by law to collect or receive the information for the
purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability.
Correctional institution:
If you are an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose
to the institution or agents thereof, health information necessary to
provide you with healthcare; to protect your health and safety or the
health and safety of other individuals; or for the safety and security
of the correctional institution.
Law Enforcement:
We may disclose health information in response to a valid subpoena,
warrant, summons or similar process. We may also re-lease information
for purposes of locating a suspect, a fugitive, a material witness,
or missing person.
Health Oversight Activities:
Federal law makes provision for your health information to be released
to an appropriate health oversight agency for activities such as audits,
investigations, and inspections. This includes government agencies that
oversee the healthcare system, government benefit programs, other government
regulatory pro-grams, and the civil rights laws.
Your Health Information Rights
You have the right to:
- Obtain a paper copy of this notice upon request
- Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information,
but we are not required to agree to those restrictions;
- Inspect and copy the information contained in your designated record
set which includes your health and billing records;
- Request the amendment of your health information;
- Request a list of disclosures we have made of your health information
for purposes other than treatment, payment or healthcare operations;
- Request that we communicate with you by alternative means or at
alternative locations, we will comply with all reasonable requests;
- Revoke your consent to the use or disclosure of your health information
for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations except to the extent
that actions have already been taken based on that consent; and
- Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information
except to the extent that action has already been taken based on that
authorization.
Information Not Covered by this Notice
Uses and disclosures of your health information not covered by
this notice or by law may only be made with your written permission
(authorization).
Questions or Complaints
If you have questions about this notice, or believe that your
privacy rights have been violated, please contact our Privacy
Officer, Sharon Hoyle at 1-866-822-3571 or by email at
privacy.officer@medicalcenterclinic.com.
You have the right to file a written complaint with us or directly
to the secretary of Health and Human Services. You should know that
there would be no retaliation for your filing a complaint.
Download a copy
of our notice of health information privacy practices.
Click here for the spanish copy .
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