Privacy Policy
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
State and Federal laws require us to maintain the privacy of your health information and to
inform you about our privacy practices by providing you with this notice. This notice will take effect on April 14, 2003 and will remain in effect until it is amended or replaced by us.
It is our right to change our privacy practices provided law permits the changes. We reserve the right to make any changes in our privacy practices and the new terms of our Notice effective for all health information maintained, created and/or received by us before the date changes were made.
Typical Uses and Disclosures of Health Information
We at Columbus Orthopaedic Clinic will keep your health information confidential, using it only for the following purposes:
Treatment: We may use your health information to provide you with our professional services. Everyone on our staff is required to sign a confidentiality statement.
Disclosure: We may disclose and/or share your healthcare information with other health care professionals who provide treatment and/or service to you. These professionals will have a privacy and confidentaility policy like this one. Health information about you may also be disclosed to your family, friends and/or other persons YOU choose to involve in your care, only if you agree that we may do so. If you do not wish your care be discussed with family members please inform the front dest personnel at your next appointment.
Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to seek payment for services we provide you. This disclosed involves our business office staff and may include insurance organizations or other businesses that may become involved in the process of mailing statements and/or collecting unpaid balances.
Emergencies: We may use or disclose your health information to notify, or assist in the notification of a family member or anyone responsible for your care, in case of any emergency involving your care, your location, your general condition or death. Under emergency conditions or if you are incapacitated we will use our porfessional judgment to disclose only that information directly relevant to your care.
Healthcare Operations: We will use and disclose your health information to keep our practice operable. Examples of personnel who may have access to this information include, but are not limited to, our medical records staff, outside health or management reviewers and individuals performing similar activities.
Required by Law: We may use or disclose your health infrormation when we are required to do so by law. (Court or administrative orders, subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process.) We will use and disclose your information when officials and/or if you are an inmate or otherwise under the custody of law enforcement.
Abuse and Neglect: We may disclose your health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence or the possible victim of other crimes. This information will be disclosed only to the extent necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health or safety or that of others.
Public Health Responsibilities: We will disclose your health care information to report problems with products, reactions to medications, product recalls, disease or infection exposure and to prevent and control disease, injury and/or disability.
Marketing Health-Related Services: We will not use your health information for marketing purposes unless we have your written authorization to do so.
National Security: The health information of Armed Forces personnel may be disclosed to military authorities under certain circumstances. If the information is required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence or other national security activities, we may disclose it to authorized federal officials.
Appointment Telephone Calls: We may use your health information to provide you with appointment reminders/changes, including but not limited to voicemail messages or letters.
Workers' Compensation: Your protected health information may be disclosed by us to proper authorities to comply with workers' compensation laws and other similar legally-established programs.
YOUR RIGHTS AS OUR PATIENT
Access: Upon written request, you have the right to inspect and get copies of your health information (and that of an individual for whom you are a legal guardian). There will be some limited exceptions. If you wish to examine your health information, you will need to complete and submit an appropriate request form. Contact our office for a copy of the Request Form. You may also request access by sending us a letter to the address at the end of this Notice. Once approved, an appointment can be made to review your records. Copies, if requested, will be $20.00 for pages 1-20 and $1.00 per page for each additional page. IFyou want the copies mailed to you, postage will also be charged. These administrative fees must be paid when picked up or prior to mailing. If you prefer a summary of your healthcare, it will be provided for a fee. No information will be released without a signed authorization.
Amendment: You have the right to amend your healthcare information, if you feel it is inaccurate or incomplete. This excludes any treatment we may have made to you prior to this notice. Your request must be in writing and must include an explanation of why the information should be amended. Under certain circumstances, your request may be denied.
Non-Routine Disclosures: You have the right to receive a list of non-routine disclosures we have made of your health care information. (When we make a routine disclosure of your information to a professional for treatment and/or payment purposes, we do not keep a record of routine disclosures: therefore these are not available). Any list of non-routine disclosures prior to April 14, 2003 will not be released.
Restrictions: You have the right to request that we place additional restrictions on our use or disclosure of your health information. We do not have to agree to these additional restrictions, but if we do, we will abide by our agreement. (Except in emergencies). Pleae contact our office if you want to further restrict access to your health care information. This request must be submitted in writing.
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Questions and Complaints: You have the right to file a complaint with us or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if you feel we have not complied with our Privacy Policies. Your complaint should be directed to our Privacy Officer, Kelly Thrash. If you feel we may have violated your privacy rights, or if you disagree with a decision we made regarding your access to your health information, you can file a written complaint. Request a Complaint Form from our Privacy Officer. We support your right to the privacy of your information and will not retaliate in any way if you choose to file a complaint with us.
You May Contact Us: COLUMBUS ORTHOPAEDIC CLINIC
670 LEIGH DRIVE
COLUMBUS, MS 39705
TELEPHONE: 662-328-1012
FAX: 662-328-1507