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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.
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 14, 2003
We respect confidentiality of the people we
support and only release medical information about you in accordance
with the Illinois and federal law. This notice describes our policies
related to the use of the records of your care generated by marcfirst.
Privacy Officer:
If you have any questions about this policy or your rights, contact
the Privacy Officer at 309-451-8888.
Definition:
"You" refers to individuals supported by marcfirst,
parents, guardians, wards.
USE AND DISCLOSURE OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
In order to effectively provide you care, there are times when we
will need to share your medical information with others beyond our
practice. This includes for:
Treatment.
We may use or disclose medical information about you to provide,
coordinate, or manage your care or any related services, including
sharing information with others outside of marcfirst that
we are consulting with or referring you to.
Payment.
Information will be used to obtain payment for the treatment and
services provided. This will include contacting your health insurance
company for prior approval of planned treatment or for billing purposes.
Healthcare Operations.
We may use information about you to coordinate our business activities.
This may include setting up your appointments, reviewing your care,
training staff.
Information Disclosed Without Your Consent.
Under Illinois and federal law, information about you may be disclosed
without your consent in the following circumstances:
Emergencies.
Sufficient information may be shared to address the immediate emergency
you are facing.
Follow-Up Appointments/Care.
We will be contacting you to remind you of future appointments or
information about treatment alternatives or other health-related
benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
As Required by
Law. This would include situations where we have a subpoena,
court order, or are mandated to provide public health information,
such as communicable diseases or suspected abuse and neglect.
Coroners, Funeral
Directors, and Organ Donation. We may disclose medical information
to a coroner or medical examiner and funeral directors for the purposes
of carrying out their duties. When organs are donated, sufficient
information will be provided to the program as necessary to facilitate
the organ or tissue donation.
Governmental Requirements.
We may disclose information to a health oversight agency for activities
authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections and
licensure. We are also required to share information, if requested
with the Department of Health and Human Services to determine our
compliance with federal and state laws related to health care.
Criminal Activity
or Danger to Others. If a crime is committed on our premises
or against our personnel, we may share information with law enforcement
to apprehend the criminal. We also have the right to involve law
enforcement when we believe an immediate danger may occur to someone.
Fundraising.
As a not-for-profit provider of health care services, we need assistance
in raising money to carry out our mission. We may contact you to
seek a donation. If you would prefer not to be solicited, please
notify marcfirst's Privacy Officer.
RIGHTS OF PEOPLE RECEIVING SERVICES
You have the following rights under Illinois
and federal law:
Copy of Record.
You are entitled to inspect all records that marcfirst has
generated about you, and if copies are requested, they will be provided
to you within 14 days.
Release of Records.
You may consent in writing the release of your records to others,
for any purpose you choose. This could include your attorney, employer,
or others who you wish to have knowledge of your services. You may
revoke this consent at any time, but only to the extent no action
has been taken in reliance on your prior authorization.
Restriction on
Record. You may ask us not to use or disclose part of your
records. This request must be in writing. marcfirst is not
required to agree to your request, if we believe it is in your best
interest to permit use and disclosure of the information. The request
should be given to the Privacy Officer.
Contacting You.
You may request that we send information to another address or by
alternative means. We will honor such request as long as it is reasonable,
and we are assured it is correct. We have a right to verify that
the information you are providing is correct. We also will be glad
to provide you information by e-mail if you request it. If you wish
us to communicate by e-mail or if you want us to accommodate any
special requests, please contact the Privacy Officer.
Amending Record.
If you believe that something in your record is incorrect or incomplete,
you may request we amend it. To do this, contact the Privacy Officer
and ask for the Request to Amend Health Information form. In certain
cases, we may deny your request. If we deny your request for an
amendment, you have a right to file a statement you disagree with
us. We will then file our response and your statement and our response
will be added to your record.
Accounting for
Disclosures. You may request an accounting of any disclosures
we have made related to your information, except for information
we used for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes,
or that we shared with you or your family, or information that you
gave us specific consent to release. It also excludes information
we were required to release. To receive information regarding disclosure
made for specific time period no longer than seven years and after
April 14, 2003, please submit your request in writing to our Privacy
Officer.
Questions and Complaints.
If you have any questions, you may contact our Privacy Officer in
writing at our office for further information. You may also complain
to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, if you believe marcfirst
has violated your privacy rights. We will not retaliate against
you for filing a complaint.
Changes in Policy.
marcfirst reserves the right to change its Privacy
Policy based on the needs of marcfirst and changes in state
and federal law.
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