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
1. Purpose: Voyager HospiceCare, Inc and its professional
caregivers, employees, and volunteers and all of its affiliated
entities follow the privacy practices described in this Notice. Voyager
HospiceCare, Inc and it’s affiliated entities maintains your medical
information in records that will be maintained in a confidential
manner, as required by law. However, Voyager HospiceCare, Inc and it’s
affiliated entities must use and disclose your medical information to
the extent necessary to provide you with quality health care. This is
accomplished by Voyager HospiceCare, inc and its affiliated entities
sharing your medical information as necessary for treatment, payment
and health care operations
2. Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations Are the following:
- Treatment includes sharing information among health care providers involved in your care.
- Medical
information as required by your insurer, Medicare, Medicaid or HMO to
obtain payment for your treatment and Hospice care. We also may use and
disclose your medical information to improve the quality of care, e.g.,
for review and training purposes.
3. How will Voyager HospiceCare Inc. and it affiliated entities
use my medical information Your medical information may be used, unless
you ask for restrictions on a specific use or disclosure, for the
following purposes:
- Religious affiliation to a Voyager HospiceCare Inc. chaplain or other members of the clergy.
- Family members or persons designated as your legal representative involved in your care or payment for your treatment and care.
- Appointment setting and reminders.
- To inform you of treatment alternatives or benefits or services related to your health.
As required by law.
- Public
health activities, including disease prevention, injury or disability;
reporting births and deaths; reporting child abuse or neglect;
reporting reactions to medications or product problems; notification of
recalls; infectious disease control; notifying government authorities
of suspected abuse, neglect or domestic violence as required by law or
upon your agreement.
- Healthcare oversight activities, including audits, inspections, investigations, and licensure.
- Lawsuits and disputes.
- Law
enforcement (such as in response to a court order or other legal
process; to identify or locate an individual being sought by
authorities; about the victim of a crime under restricted
circumstances; about a death that may be the result of criminal
conduct; about criminal conduct that occurred on Voyager HospiceCare
inc or its affiliated entities premises; and in emergency circumstances
relating to reporting information about a crime.)
- Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors.
- Organ and tissue donation.
- Certain research projects.
- To prevent a serious threat to health or safety.
- To military command authorities if you are a member of the armed forces or a member of a foreign military authority.
- National security and intelligence activities.
- Inmates. (Medical information about inmates of correctional institutions may be released to the institution.)
- Workers’ Compensation.
- To carry out health care treatment, payment, and operations functions through business associates
4. Your Authorization Is Required for Other Disclosures. Except
as described above, we will not use or disclose your medical
information unless you authorize (permit) Voyager HospiceCare Inc. and
its affiliated entities in writing to disclose your information. You
may revoke your permission, which will be effective only after the date
of your written revocation.
5. You Have Rights Regarding Your Medical Information. You
have the following rights regarding your medical information, provided
that you make a written request to invoke the right on the form
provided by Voyager HospiceCare Inc and its affiliated entities.
- Right to request restriction. You may request
limitations on your medical information we use or disclose for health
care treatment, payment, or operations (e.g., you may ask us not to
disclose that you have had a particular surgery), but we are not
required to agree to your request. If we agree, we will comply with
your request unless the information is needed to provide you with
emergency treatment.
- Right to confidential communications. You
may request communications in a certain way or at a certain location,
but you must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.
- Right to inspect and copy. You have the right to inspect and copy your medical information
regarding decisions about your care; however, psychotherapy notes may
not be inspected and copied. We may charge a fee for copying, mailing
and supplies. Under limited circumstances, your request may be denied;
- Right to request amendment. If you believe that the medical information we have about you is
incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment on the authorized
form.
- Right to accounting of disclosures. You may
request a list of the disclosures of your medical information that have
been made to persons or entities other than for health care treatment
payment or operations in the past 6 years, but not prior to April 14,
2003. After the first request, there may be a charge.
- Right to a copy of this Notice. You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have been provided with an electronic copy.
6. Requirements Regarding This Notice. Voyager HospiceCare
Inc. and its Affiliated entities are required by law to provide you
with this Notice. We will be governed by this Notice for as long as it
is in effect. Voyager HospiceCare, Inc. may change this Notice and
these changes will be effective for medical information we have about
you as well as any information we receive in the future.
7. Complaints. If you believe your privacy rights have been
violated, you may file a complaint with Voyager HospiceCare Inc, and
its’ Affiliated entities or with the Secretary of the United States
Department of Health and Human Services.
Contact: The Privacy Officer for American HospiceCare at (800-565-0950)
Please contact the Privacy Officer if :
- you have a complaint;
- you have any questions about this Notice;
- you wish to request restrictions on uses and disclosures for health care treatment, payment, or operations
