Notice of Privacy Practices at Waverly Hematology Oncology
Waverly Hematology Oncology is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information. If you have questions about any part of this notice or if you want more information about the privacy practices at Waverly Hematology Oncology, please contact: Meghan Kelly, 919-233-8585.
Effective Date of this Notice: Oct 11, 2004
I. How Waverly Hematology Oncology (WHO) may Use or Disclose Your Health Information
WHO collects health information from you and stores it in a chart and on a computer. This is your medical record. The medical record is the property of WHO, but the information in the medical record belongs to you. WHO protects the privacy of your health information. The law permis WHO to use or disclose your health information for the folowing purposes:
1. Treatment- Treatment activities include a) the provision, coordination, or management of health care and related services by health care providers; b) consultation between health care providers relating to a patient; or c) the referral of a patient for healthcare from one health care provider to another.
2. Payment- Payment activities include a) billing and collection activities and related data processing; b) actions by a health plan or insurer to obtain premiums or to determine or fulfill its responsibilities for coverage and provision of benefits under its health plan or insurance agreement, determinations of eligibility or coverage, adjucation or subrogation of health benefit claims; c) medical necessity, and appropriateness of care reviews, utilization review activities; and d) disclosure to consumer reporting agencies of information relating to collection of premiums or reimbursement.
3. Regular Health Care Operations- Health care operations include a) development of clinical guidelines; b) contacting patients with information about treatment alternatives or communications in connection with case management or care coordination; c) reviewing the qualifications of and training health care professionals; d) underwriting and premium rating; e) medical review, legal services, and auditing functions; and f) general administrative activities such as customer service and data analysis.
4. Information provided to you.
5. Notification and Communication with family- We may disclose your health information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, your personal representative or another person responsible for your care about your location, your general condition or in the event of your death. If you are able and available to agree or object, we will give you the opportunity to object prior to making this notification. If you are unable or unavailale to agree or object, our health professionals will use their best judgment in communication with your family and others.
6. Required by law- As required by law, we may use and disclose your health information.
7. Public health- As required by law, we may disclose your health information to public health authorities for purposes related to: preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability; reporting child abuse or neglect; reporting domestic violence; reporting to the FDA problems with products and reactions to medications; and reporting disease or infection exposure.
8. Health Oversight Activities- We may disclose your health information to health agencies during the course of audits, investigations, inspections, licensure, and other proceedings.
9. Judicial and administrative proceedings- We may disclose your health information in the course of any administrative or judicial proceeding.
10. Law Enforcement- We may disclose your health information to a law enforcement official for purposes such as identifying of locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person, complying with a court order or subpoena and other law enforcement purposes.
11. Deceased person information- We may disclose your health to coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors.
12. Organ donation- We may disclose your health information to organizations involved in procuring, banking, or transplanting organs and tissue.
13. Research- We may disclose your health information to researchers conducting research that has been approved by an IRB or this organization's privacy board.
14. Public Safety- We may disclose your health information to appropriate persons in order to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a particular person or the general public.
15. Specialized government functions- We may disclose your health information for military, national security, prisoner, and government benefits.
16. Worker's Compensation- We may disclose your health information as necessary to comply with worker's compensation laws.
II. When WHO May not Use or Disclose Your Health Information
Except as described in this Notice of Privacy Practices, WHO will not use or disclose your health information without your written authorization. If you do not authorize WHO to use or disclose your health info for another purpose, you may revoke your authorization in writing at any time.
III. Your Health Information Rights
1. You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. WHO is not required to agree to the restriction that you requested.
2. You have the right to receive your health information through a reasonable alternative means or at an alternative location.
3. You have the right to inspect and copy your health information.
4. You have a right to request that WHO amend your health information that is incorrect or incomplete. WHO is not required to change your health information and will provide you with information about WHO denial and how you can disagree with the denial.
5. You have a right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information made by WHO except that WHO does not have to account for the disclosures described in parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 15 of section I of this Notice of Privacy Practices.
6. You have a right to a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices.
If you would like to have a more detailed explanation of these rights or if you would like to exercise one or more of these rights, contact: Meghan Kelly, RN, 919-233-8585
IV. Changes to this Notice of Privacy Practices
WHO reserves the right to amend this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time in the future, and to make the new provisions effective for all information that it maintains, including information that was created or received prior to the date of such amendment. Until such amendment is made, WHO is required by law to comply with this Notice. We will provide you with notice of any revisions or amendments to this Privacy Policy, or changes in the law affecting this Privacy Notice, by mail or electronically within 60 days of the effective date of such revision, amendment, or change.