Privacy Policy

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

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.

Understanding Your Health Record/Information

Each time you visit a hospital, physician, or other healthcare provider, a record of your visit is made. This record contains your symptoms, examination and test results, diagnosis(es), treatment(s), and a plan for future care or treatment. This information is referred to as your health or medical record. Your medical record serves as a:

• Basis for planning your care and treatment
• Means of communication among the health professionals who contribute to your care
• Legal document describing the care you received
• Means by which you or a third-party can verify that services billed were provided
• Tool in educating health professionals
• Source of data for medical research
• Source of information for public health officials for improving the health of the nation
• Source of data for facility planning and marketing
• Tool with which we can assess and continually work to improve the care we render and the outcomes we achieve

Your hospital, physician or healthcare provider will also maintain information concerning the charges to your account for healthcare services rendered to you.

Your Health Information Rights

Although your health record is the physical property of the healthcare practitioner or facility that compiled it, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:

Right to request restrictions – You may request a restriction or limit the medical information we use or disclose about you. You may limit the medical information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment of your care, like a family member or friend.

Right to inspect and copy – This includes medical and billing records, but does not include psychotherapy notes. Submit your request in writing to Unicoi County Memorial Hospital, Inc., 100 Greenway Circle, Erwin, TN 37650. You may be charged a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, etc. We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain very limited circumstances.
Right to amend – If you feel that medical information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. To request an amendment, your request must be in writing and submitted to Unicoi County Memorial Hospital, Inc., 100 Greenway Circle, Erwin, TN 37650. You must provide a reason that supports your request.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures – This is a list of the disclosures we made of medical information about you. Make your request in writing to Unicoi County Memorial Hospital, Inc.

Right to Request Confidential Communications – You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or by mail. To request confidential communications, make your request in writing to Unicoi County Memorial Hospital, Inc.

Right to a Paper Copy of this Notice – You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time.

Our Responsibilities

This organization is required to:

• Maintain the privacy of your health information
• Provide you with a notice as to our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you
• Abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect
• Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction
• 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 new provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain. Revisions will be available via our web site or by contacting the Hospital’s admissions office or Privacy Officer.

We will not use or disclose your health information without your written authorization, except as described in this notice. We may use medical information about you for:

• Treatment Purposes
• Payment Purposes
• Health Care/Hospital Operations
• Business Associates (emergency department, radiology, lab, etc.)
• Appointment Reminders
• Directory (your name, room number, general condition, and religious affiliations).
  Unless you notify us that you object this information may be provided to members of the clergy, or to other people who ask for you by name.
• Notification to a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, of your location and general condition.
• Fund raising
• Research
• As Required By Law
• To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety
• Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors
• Organ Procurement Organizations
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Workers Compensation
• Public Health
• Correctional Institution
• Law Enforcement
• Military and Veterans
• Health Oversight Activities (audits, investigations, inspections and licensure)
• Lawsuits and Disputes (in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process.
• National Security and Intelligence Activites

For more information or to report a problem, you may contact the Privacy Officer at 423-743-1204. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint in writing to the Privacy Officer at the hospital. You will not be penalized and no adverse actions will be taken against you for filing a complaint.

WHAT IS HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (August 21), Public Law 104-191, which amends the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986. Also known as the Kennedy-Kassebaum Act.

The privacy and security of personal information are of growing concern, especially in health care. New regulations under HIPAA address these issues by imposing stringent record-keeping and security requirements on healthcare providers and related entities.