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NOTICE
OF PRIVACY POLICIES
for SDI Diagnostic Imaging
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 SDI Diagnostic Imaging (SDI), we are
committed to treating and using Protected Health Information (PHI)
about you responsibly. This
Notice of Health Information 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 14, 2003, and applies to all protected health
information as defined by federal regulations.
Understanding
Your Health Record/Information
Each time you visit SDI, a record of your
visit is made. Typically, this record contains your symptoms,
examination, test results, and diagnoses. 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,
Tool in educating heath professionals,
Source of data for medical research,
Source of information for public health officials charged with
improving the health of this state and the nation,
Source of data for our planning and marketing,
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 SDI, the information belongs to you. You have the
right to:
Obtain a paper copy of this notice of information practices
upon request,
Inspect and copy your health record as provided for in 45 CFR
164.524, (Requests for copies will be processed within 5 working days)
Amend your health record as provided in 45 CFR 164.528,
Receive confidential communications of protected health
information as provided in 45 CFR 164.522(b), as applicable,
Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your health information
as provided in 45 CFR 164.528,
Request communications of your health information by
alternative means or at alternative locations,
Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your
information as provided by 45 CFR 164.522, however, SDI is not
required to agree to a requested restriction, and
Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information
except to the extent that action has already been taken.
Our
Responsibilities
SDI 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 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, we may mail a revised notice to the
address youve supplied us.
We will not use or disclose your health
information without your authorization, except as described in this
notice. We will also
discontinue to use or disclose your health information after we have
received a written revocation of the authorization according to the
procedures included in the authorization.
For
More Information or to Report a Problem
If have questions and would like
additional information, you may contact the Center Director at (813)
855-8282.
If you believe your privacy rights have
been violated, you can file a complaint with the practices Privacy
Officer at (813) 348-6952, 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. The
address for the OCR is listed below:
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
Examples
of Disclosures for Treatment, Payment and Health Operations
We
will use your health information for treatment.
For
example: We will provide your physician or a subsequent health care
provider with copies of various reports that should assist him or her
in treating you.
We
will use your health information for payment.
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.
We
will use your health information for regular health operations.
For
example: The Radiologists 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: There are some services provided in our organization through
contacts with Business Associates.
Examples include medical software vendors and medical equipment
vendors. To protect your
health information, however, we require the Business Associate to
appropriately safeguard your information.
Notification:
We may use or disclose information to notify or assist in notifying a
family member, personal representative, or another person responsible
for your care, your location, and general condition.
Communication
with family: We may disclose to a family member, other relative, or any other
person you authorize, health information relevant to that persons
involvement in your care or payment related to your care.
Research:
We may disclose information to researchers when their research has
been approved by an Institutional Review Board that has reviewed the
research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of
your health information.
Marketing:
We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or other
health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
Legal
Purposes: We will disclose health information to the extent authorized by
and to the extent necessary to comply with federal, state and local
laws, public health or legal authorities, and law enforcement purposes
as required by law or in response to a valid subpoena. |
