NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

• Treatment:

  We may use or disclose health information about you to provide you with treatment or services. For example, information may be shared with our County Health Officer, nurse practitioner, nurses, and other health care personnel to create and carry out a plan for your treatment. We may also share information with providers outside of our system that may be involved in your treatment.

• Treatment Alternatives:

  We may use your health information to tell you about services that may be of interest to you.

• Care or Payment for Your Care:

  We may disclose health information to your family or other persons who are involved in your health care. You have the right to object to the sharing of this information.

• Public Health Activities:

  We may use or disclose health information about you for public health activities required or permitted by law.

• Victims of Abuse, Neglect or Domestic Violence:

  If we suspect abuse, neglect or domestic violence, we may disclose health information about you as required or permitted by law.

• Health Oversight Activities:

  We may give health information to a health oversight agency that monitors the health care system.

• Judicial and Administrative Proceedings:

  We may disclose health information about you in response to a court order.

• Required by Law:

  We may use or disclose health information about you when required by federal or state law.

• Coroners:

  We may disclose your health information to a coroner, medical examiner or funeral director as authorized by law.

• Research:

  We may use and disclose your health information for research purposes under certain circumstances. We will obtain your authorization or we will obtain a waiver of authorization for an Institutional Review Board or Privacy Board.

• Health or Safety:

  We may disclose your health information to law enforcement in order to avoid a serious threat to the health and safety of a person or the public.

• Worker's Compensation:

  We may disclose your health information as authorized by law to worker's compensation or similar programs.

• Specialized Government Functions:

  We may disclose your health information to government agencies with special functions as required or permitted by law.

• Inmates:

  If you are an inmate of a jail or prison or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may give health information about you to that person or jail as required or permitted by law.

• Organ and Tissue Procurement:

  We may disclose your health information to organizations for organ, eye or tissue procurement, banking or transplantation.

DISCLOSURES REQUIRING YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION

• Marketing:

  We may communicate with you about products or services relating to your treatment, case management or care coordination. However, we must obtain your authorization prior to using your health information to send you any marketing materials.

• Other Laws Protecting Health Information:

  Other laws may require your written authorization to disclose certain mental health, alcohol and drug abuse treatment HIV/AIDS testing or treatment, and genetic testing information

YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
PRIVACY RIGHTS

• Right to Inspect and Copy:

  In most cases, you have the right to look at or get copies of your records. You must make the request in writing. You may be charged a fee for copying of your records

• Right to Request Amendment:

  You have the right to request that we amend health information maintained in your medical or billing record. Your request must be in writing. We may deny your request in certain circumstances.

• Right to a List of Disclosures:

  You have the right to ask for a list of certain disclosures made after April 14, 2003. You must make the request in writing. This list will not include disclosures made for treatment, payment or health care operations. The list will not include information provided directly to you or your family

• Right to Request Restrictions:

  You have the right to request restrictions on how your information is used or disclosed. We are not required to grant your request. Your request must be in writing.

• Right to Request Confidential Communications:

  You have the right to request to receive communications from us in a certain way or in a certain place. We will accommodate any reasonable request.

• Right to Revoke Your Authorization:

  There may be other disclosures of your health information that will require your written authorization.. You generally have the right to revoke an authorization. If you revoke an authorization, it will stop future uses and disclosures except to the extent that we have already undertaken an action in reliance on your authorization. In some cases, individuals in the criminal justice system may not be able to cancel an authorization until the end of their correctional supervision or similar event.

• Right to Receive a Paper Copy:

  You have the right to receive a paper copy of this notice at any time.

• Complaints:

  You have the right to file a complaint with Baker County's Privacy Official if you do not agree with how we have used or disclosed information about you. You may also file written complaints with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. We will not retaliate against you if you file a complaint with the Secretary or us.

EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS NOTICE

FOR MORE INFORMATION