Notice of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN OBTAIN ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
OUR OBLIGATION TO YOU
We are committed to protecting the privacy of your medical information. We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of information that identifies you and the care you receive. We are required to give you this notice of our legal duties, our privacy practices and your rights, and we must also follow the terms of this Notice. This Notice also applies to your personal doctor and others who provide care to you, but only for the care you receive at Eisenhower Imaging Center. When we disclose information to other persons and companies to perform services for us, we require them to protect your privacy too. There are other laws that provide additional protections for medical information related to treatment for mental health, alcohol and other substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS. We will follow the requirements of these laws.
WE USE AND DISCLOSE INFORMATION:
For TREATMENT For example, we give information to doctors, nurses, lab technicians, students, and others, such as your test results, and record that information for others to use. We may give information to your health plan or other provider to arrange a referral or consultation.
For PAYMENT For example, we may contact your insurer to verify what benefits you are eligible for, obtain prior authorization, and tell them about your treatment to make sure they will pay for your care. We will also use or disclose information to obtain payment from third parties that may be responsible for payment, such as family members, or to bill you.
For HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS For example, we give information to hospital and medical staff to review the quality of care, for performance improvement and education, and to grant medical staff privileges. We also use information for business planning, and disclose information to defend claims.
To OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS for their treatment, payment and operations as to your care by them.
To INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN YOUR CARE or PAYMENT FOR YOUR CARE such as friends or family, unless you ask us not to. We may disclose information to disaster relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, so they can contact your family.
For APPOINTMENTS and SERVICES to remind you of an appointment, or tell you about treatment alternatives or health related benefits or services.
WITH YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION you may revoke any authorization at any time, in writing, but only as to future uses or disclosures, and only if we have not already acted in reliance. We may use or disclose medical information for purposes not described in this Notice only with your written authorization.
OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES WE MAY MAKE WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION
As REQUIRED BY LAW to the extent and under the circumstances provided in such law.
To REPORT ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE or NEGLECT if we believe you may be a victim. We will tell you in advance unless we think that would place you at risk for serious harm.
For HEALTH OVERSIGHT ACTIVITIES to health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, including audits, civil, administrative or criminal investigations, licensure or disciplinary actions, and monitoring of compliance with law.
In JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS in response to court or administrative orders; or subpoenas, discovery requests, or other process after reasonable efforts to notify you or obtain a protective order.
To LAW ENFORCEMENT to identify and locate suspects, fugitives, or witnesses, or victims of crime (with your consent in some circumstances), to report deaths from crime, crimes on the premises, or in emergencies, the commission of a crime.
To CORONERS, MEDICAL EXAMINERS, and FUNERAL DIRECTORS to identify a deceased person, determine cause of death, or as reasonably necessary to permit them to carry out their duties.
To ORGAN DONATION ORGANIZATIONS for organ procurement, eye or tissue transplantation or an organ donation bank as necessary to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation.
For RESEARCH PURPOSES if our Institutional Review Board has reviewed the request for the information and approved a waiver of authorization under standards set by law and regulation to protect confidentiality and the rights of individuals.
To PREVENT A SERIOUS THREAT TO HEALTH or SAFETY to the target of the threat, someone in a position to prevent it, or to law enforcement officials if you admit to a violent crime or escape from jail.
To MILITARY and VETERANS if you are in the armed forces, as required by command authorities.
For NATIONAL SECURITY, INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES, PROTECTIVE SERVICES, For THE PRESIDENT and OTHERS, and STATE DEPARTMENT PURPOSES to officials as authorized by law to perform their duties and conduct investigations or make medical suitability determinations for Foreign Service.
To CORRECTIONS FACILITIES, as to inmates, for the health and safety of inmates and others.
For WORKERS COMPENSATION or similar programs, as required by the applicable laws.
YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS:
To exercise these rights see the contact information below:
To Obtain a Copy of the Notice on Request. It is also available at our Web site
To Request a Restriction on Certain Uses and Disclosures. We are not required to agree with your request. If we do not agree with the request, we will comply with your request except to the extent that disclosure has already occurred or if you are in need of emergency treatment and the information is needed to provide the emergency treatment.
To Inspect and Request a Copy of Your Health Record except in limited circumstances defined by federal regulations. A fee will be charged to copy your record. If you are denied access to your health record for certain reasons, we will tell you why and what your rights are to challenge that denial.
To Request an Amendment to Your Health Record. Your request must be in writing and give a reason. We may deny your request if the information was not created by us, is not a part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy or if the information is accurate and complete. Even if we accept your request, we do not delete any information already in your records.
To an Accounting of Disclosures of Your Health Information for purposes other than treatment, payment or health care operations; disclosures to you or authorized by you; disclosures incidental to permitted disclosures, and certain other disclosures excluded by regulation.
To Request that we Contact you by Alternate Means (e.g., fax versus mail) or at alternate locations (address or phone number). Your request must be in writing, and we must honor it if reasonable.
CONTACT
To exercise any of the above rights, or if you have any questions, contact Patient Relations, 760-837-8241. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint, in writing, addressed to Patient Relations, Eisenhower Medical Center, 39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint. You also have the right to complain to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (call us for the address).
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change this Notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed Notice effective for information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current Notice in our facilities and on our Web site. A copy of the current Notice in effect will be available at our registration areas and it is available upon request.