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.

The confidential health information that we collect as we deliver care or services to you is called “protected health information”.  We can use and disclose your protected health information.

To provide treatment and to help us coordinate services among Interim HealthCare personnel and with others involved in your care such as family members, your pharmacist, suppliers of medical equipment and your physician; or we can use your information to recommend an alternative treatment to you or to notify you of a service such as availability of flu shots

 To obtain payment such as including your health information on invoices to collect payment.  For example, we may be required by your insurer to provide information regarding your health so that they will pay you or Interim HealthCare.  We may also need to obtain prior approval from your insurer and explain your need for home care and the care of services that we will provide to you.

For health care operations such as using your protected health information to evaluate and improve the quality of the services or to write new guidelines to provide more effective nursing care; to conduct supervision of employees or evaluate their performance; to train our employees or student nurses; to determine your satisfaction with our services; for general business planning and development; or for business management and general administrative activities. 

You also have the following rights regarding the use and disclosure of your protected health information:

v     You can request that we restrict its use and disclosures-such as not sharing this information with a particular family member.  However, we are not required to agree with every restriction and we may end such a restriction if we believe it puts you or your health at risk.  You can also decide to end a restriction at any time.

v     You can request that communication between you and Interim HealthCare be provided to you in another way.  For example, we can send all of our written communication to a family members address, if you ask us to do so. 

v     You can ask to inspect and copy your protected health information and you can request to change it.

v     You also have the right; with limited exceptions under federal regulations to receive an accounting of the disclosures we have made of your protected health information other than those used for treatment, payment, or operations.

If you believe that your confidentiality has been violated, you can contact Tamara Lambert at our Interim HealthCare office at 806-791-0042 to file a complaint or you can file a complaint with the office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services.  We want to hear your concerns, and you will not be retaliated against if you file a complaint.

If you wish to see your protected health information, receive a copy of it or ask to amend it, please contact Tamara Lambert at     806-791-0042. 

If anyone wishes to use or access your protected health information for reasons other than to provide care, obtain payment or run our operations, we can only release it with your written authorization.  And, you may revoke that authorization at any time.

However, there are some important exceptions to requiring an authorization stated in the federal regulation.  We can provide your protected health information to representatives of the following organizations without your written authorization or without obtaining your agreement or objection.

1. To public health authorities;
2. To a government representative responsible for responding to concerns about abuse neglect or domestic violence as permitted by law;
3. For judicial or administrative proceedings or in response to a subpoena or discovery request;
4. For law enforcement purpose;
5. To local or national health oversight organizations that conduct audits or investigations;
6. To funeral directors, coroners and medical examiners;
7. For purposes of organ or tissue donation;
8. For research purposes as approved by a Privacy Board;
9. To avert a serious threat to health or safety; and
10. For special government functions such as national security; and,
11. For purposes of worker’s compensation.  (641.512 a-I)
     

We may not disclose your health information if you are the subject of an investigation unless your health information is directly related to your receipt of public benefits.

We at Interim HealthCare abide by this Notice effective April 14^th 2003 available to any individual upon request.  We do reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice, and to provide the revised Notice to any patient/client who is receiving care or services.  Interim HealthCare reserves the right to change this Notice of Privacy Practices; and if we do so, the changes will apply with respect to your protected health information in our possession. 

If you have any concerns about this Notice or wish to have additional information, you may contact.  Tamara Lambert  who is our office’s Privacy Officer at 806-791-0042.  We welcome your questions, as the privacy of your protected health information is one of our most important promises to you.