Privacy Notice

Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures

We may also use and disclose your PHI in the instances outline below:

• To Others Involved in Your Healthcare – Unless you object, we may disclose to a member of your family, a relative, a close friend or any other person, that you identify, your PHI that directly relates to that person’s involvement in your healthcare.  If you are unable to agree or object to such a disclosure, we may disclose such information as necessary if we determine that it is in your best interest based on our professional judgment.  We may use or disclose PHI to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative or any other person that is responsible for your care, of your general condition or death.  If you are not present or able to agree or object to the use or disclosure of the PHI, then your healthcare provider may, using professional judgment, determine whether the disclosure is in your best interest.  In this case, only the PHI that is necessary will be disclosed.

• As Required by Law – We may use or disclose your PHI to the extent that is required by law.

• For Public Health – We may disclose your PHI for public health activities and purposes to a public health authority that is permitted by law to collect or receive the information.

• For Communicable Diseases – We may disclose your PHI, if authorized by law, to a person who may have been exposed to a communicable disease or may otherwise be at risk of contracting or spreading the disease or condition.

• For Health Oversight – We may disclose PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections.

• In Cases of Abuse or Neglect – We may disclose your PHI to a public health authority that is authorized by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.  In addition, we may disclose your PHI if we believe that you have been a victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence to the governmental entity or agency authorized to receive such information.

• To The Food and Drug Administration – We may disclose your PHI to a person or company required by the Food and Drug Administration to report adverse events, to monitor product defects or problems, to report biologic product deviations, to track products, to enable product recalls, to make repairs or replacements, or to conduct post-marketing surveillance, as required.

• For Legal Proceedings – We may disclose PHI in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding, in response to an order of a court or administrative tribunal (to the extent such disclosure is expressly authorized), in certain conditions in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process.

• To Law Enforcement – We may also disclose PHI, as long as applicable legal requirements are met, for law enforcement purposes.

• To Coroners, Funeral Directors, and Organ Donation – We may disclose PHI to a coroner or medical examiner for identification purposes, determining cause of death or for the coroner or medical examiner to perform other duties authorized by law.  We may also disclose PHI to a funeral director, as authorized by law, in order to permit the funeral director to carry out his/her duties.  PHI may be used and disclosed for cadaveric organ, eye or tissue donation purposes.

• For Research – We may disclose your PHI to researchers when an institutional review board has reviewed and approved the research proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of your PHI.

• In Cases of Criminal Activity – Consistent with applicable federal and state laws, we may disclose your PHI if we believe that the use or disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.  We may also disclose PHI, if it is necessary for law enforcement authorities, to identify or apprehend an individual.

• For Military Activity and National Security – When the appropriate conditions apply, we may use or disclose PHI of individuals who are Armed Forces personnel: (1) for activities deemed necessary by appropriate military command authorities; (2) for the purpose of a determination by the Department of Veterans Affairs of your eligibility for benefits; or (3) to foreign military authority if you are a member of that foreign military service.

• For Workers’ Compensation – Your PHI may be disclosed as authorized to comply with workers’ compensation laws and other similar legally-established programs.

• When an Inmate – We may use or disclose your PHI if you are an inmate of a correctional facility and your Healthcare Provider created or received your protected health information in the course of providing care to you.

• Required Uses and Disclosures – Under the law, we must make disclosures about you when required by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements of the Privacy Rule.

Privacy Complaints

You may complain to us or to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated by us.  You may file a complaint with us by notifying our Privacy Manager       (330) 668-6766    .