Heritage Home Healthcare is providing this Notice of Privacy Practices because the privacy of your health information is very important to you and to us, and in compliance with Federal regulations.
By "your health information" we mean
the information that we maintain that specifically identifies
you and your health status.
USES OR DISCLOSURES WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION
We use or disclose your health information
to carry out your treatment; to obtain payment for your treatment;
and to conduct health care operations. For example:
- For treatment, we use your health information to plan, coordinate, and provide your care. We disclose your health information for treatment purposes to physicians and other health care professionals outside our agency who are involved in your care.
- For payment, we use your health information
to prepare documentation required by your insurance company,
HMO, Medicare, or Medicaid. We disclose that part of your health
information that these organizations require to pay us.
- For health care operations, we use or disclose
your health information, for example, to improve the quality
of our services, to plan better ways of treating patient, and
to evaluate staff performance.
USES OR DISCLOSURES OF YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION TO WHICH YOU MAY
OBJECT
We may use or disclose your health information for
the following purposes, unless you ask us not to.
- Confirming our visits to your home or other appointments.
- Informing you about treatment alternatives or other
health-related benefits and services that may be of interest
to you.
- Assistance in disaster relief efforts.
- Informing family and friends. We may disclose your
health information to family, friends, or others identified by
you who are involved in your care.
If you object to our use of your health information for any of
these purposes, please contact your Heritage Home Healthcare case
manager. USES OR DISCLOSURES REQUIRED OR PERMITTED
Where we are required or permitted to do so, we may use or disclose
your health information in the following circumstances without
your written authorization.
- Federal government investigation, when required by
the Secretary of Health and Human
- Services to investigate or
determine
our compliance with Federal regulation.
- Federal, State, or local
law requirements.
- Public health activities, for example to report
communicable diseases or death; or for matters involving the
Food and Drug Administration.
- Reporting of abuse, neglect or
domestic violence.
- Health oversight activities by a health oversight
agency. (A health oversight agency is an organization authorized
by the government
to oversee eligibility and compliance and to enforce civil
rights laws.)
- Judicial or administrative proceedings, for example responding
to a court order or subpoena.
- Law enforcement purposes, for
example to report certain types of wounds or other physical injuries
or to identify or locate
a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person.
- Use by coroners, medical
examiners, or funeral directors.
- Facilitating organ, eye, or tissue
donation.
- Research, provided that very strict controls are enforced.
- Averting
a serious threat to your health or safety or that of the public.
- Specialized
government functions such a military or veterans’ affairs,
national security, and intelligence activities.
- Workers’ compensation.
USES OR DISCLOSURES WHICH REQUIRE YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION
Your written authorization, which you may revoke (in writing),
is required if we use or disclose your health information for any
other purpose. In particular:
- Our use of psychotherapy notes beyond treatment, payment,
and health care operations.
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