SOCH Patient Support

search:

Patient Privacy

Download our AUTHORIZATION TO RELEASE PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION Form.

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES Effective: January 1, 2007

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.

If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact our Privacy Officer at (609) 978-8900, extension 2427.

WHO WILL FOLLOW THIS NOTICE:

The following entities will use this Notice: Southern Ocean County Hospital, Compass Healthcare, Southern Ocean Home Care Services, Southern Ocean Hospice Services, Forked River Center for Health, Little Egg Harbor Center for Health, Ocean Physical Therapy, Health Village, LLC, Quality Institute. Collectively, these entities shall be referred to as the Health Care System. The members of the Health Care System may share medical information with each other for treatment, payment or operations for purposes as described in this Notice.

The Health Care System and the independent members of the Medical Staff have agreed, as permitted by law, to share your health information among themselves for purposes of treatment, payment or health care operations.

This Notice describes our Health Care System's practices and that of:

Any health care professional authorized to enter information into your medical record
All departments and units of the Health Care System.
Any member of a volunteer group that is permitted to help you when you are a patient in the Health Care System.
All employees, Medical Staff and other Health Care System personnel.

OUR PLEDGE REGARDING MEDICAL INFORMATION:

We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting your medical information. We create a record of the care and services you receive at the Health Care System. This Notice applies to all records of your care generated by the Health Care System, whether made by Health Care System personnel or your physician(s).

The law requires us to:
make sure that medical information that identifies you is kept private;
give you this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you; and
follow the terms of the Notice that are currently in effect.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION:

Listed below are the ways, with examples, that we may use or disclose your medical information with/without obtaining your prior written authorization:
For treatment. The health care professionals, including doctors, nurses and technicians at the Health Care System may access your information for purposes of providing you with quality care.
For payment. The Health Care System Business Office may access your information and send relevant parts to your insurance company to receive payment for the services we rendered to you.
For health care operations. We may use medical information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you. We may access or send your information to our attorneys in the event we need the information in order to address one of our own business functions.
To provide it to you.
To include you in our Health Care System directory. Unless you tell us you object, we will list your name, where you are located in our Health Care System and your religious affiliation in our directory. The directory information, except for your religious affiliation, may also be released to people who ask for you by name. Your religious affiliation may be given to a member of the clergy even if they donÕt ask for you by name.
To notify and/or communicate with your family. Unless you tell us you object, we may use or disclose your medical information in order to notify your family or assist in notifying your family, your personal representative or another person responsible for your care about your location, your general condition or in the event of your death. If you are unable or unavailable to agree or object, our health professionals will use their best judgement in communication with your family and others.
For fundraising activities. We may contact you to participate in our fundraising activities. If you do not want the Health Care System to contact you for fundraising efforts, you must notify, in writing, the Executive Director of the Foundation Office.
To provide appointment reminders. We may use and disclose medical information to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment for treatment or medical care at the Health Care System.
To provide information about treatment alternatives. We may use and disclose medical information to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may be of interest to you.
To provide information about health-related services. We may use and disclose medical information to tell you about health-related services that may be of interest.
For research. Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose medical information about you in order to conduct research that has been approved by an Institutional Review Board.
When required by law. We will disclose medical information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law.
For public health purposes. We may use or disclose your medical information for public health activities, including: to prevent or control disease, injury or disability; or, to report births and deaths.
For public safety. We may use or disclose your medical information in order to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a particular person or the general public.
For health oversight activities. We may use or disclose your medical information to health agencies during the course of audits, investigations, inspections, licensure and other proceedings.
In response to subpoenas or for judicial and administrative proceedings. We may use or disclose your medical information in the course of any administrative or judicial proceeding.
To law enforcement personnel. We may use or disclose your medical information when requested by a law enforcement official, including: in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process; or, to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person.
To coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors. We may disclose medical information, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death or to funeral directors to carry out their duties.
For purposes of organ, eye and tissue donation. We may use or
disclose your medical information for purposes of communicating to organizations involved in procuring, banking or transplanting organs and tissues.
For workerÕs compensation. We may use or disclose your medical information as necessary to comply with workerÕs compensation laws.
For national security and intelligence activities; military activities; and, protective services for the President. We may use or disclose medical information about you to authorized federal officials for these purposes.
To correctional institutions and law enforcement officials. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may disclose medical information about you to the correctional institution or law enforcement official.
Change of Ownership. In the event that the Health Care System is sold or merged with another organization, your medical information will become the property of the new owner.

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION

Following are your rights regarding your medical information we maintain:

Right to inspect and copy. To review and copy your medical information.

To review and receive copies of your medical information, you must submit your request in writing to the Medical Record Department. You will be charged a fee for the costs of copying, postage, supplies and/or preparation of a summary.

We may deny your request. If you are denied access, you may request a review of the denial by a licensed health care professional, chosen by the Health Care System.
Right to amend. You have the right to request that we amend your medical information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. To request an amendment, you must submit a written request that includes the reason for the amendment to the Medical Record Department. We may deny your request to amend information that:
Was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment;
Is not part of the medical information kept by or for the Health Care System;
Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or
Is accurate and complete.
Right to request restrictions. You have the right to request restrictions on the uses and disclosures of your medical information. We are not required to agree with your request. If we agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment. To request restrictions, you must forward a written request, outlining the restrictions, to the Medical Record Department.
Right to an accounting of disclosures. You have a right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures of your medical information made by the Health Care System. This does not include, for example, disclosure for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
To request this list of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to the Medical Record Department. Your request must state a time period, which may not be longer than six (6) years and may not include dates before April 14, 2003. The first list you request will be free. There will be a fee for any additional lists requested during the same 12-month period. We will notify you of the fee in advance so that you may modify or withdraw your request.
Right to request confidential communications. You have the right to receive your medical information through confidential alternative means or location. For example, you can request that we only contact you at work or by mail. To request communication through an alternative means or location, you must forward a written request to the Medical Record Department.
Right to a paper copy of this Notice. You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time. The Notice is available on our web site at www.SOCH.com.

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

We reserve the right to amend this Notice. We reserve the right to make the amended Notice effective for medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. If such an amendment is made, we will immediately display the revised Notice in the Health Care System. In addition, when you come to the Health Care System for services, we will offer you a copy of the current Notice in effect.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint with the Health Care System or the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with the Health Care System, contact our Customer Service Hotline at (609) 978-8900, extension 2396.

The Health Care System will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint about our privacy practices.

OTHER USES OF MEDICAL INFORMATION

Other uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this Notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written authorization. If you authorize us to use or disclose your medical information for another purpose, you may revoke your authorization in writing at any time. However, the revocation of your authorization would not apply to medical information previously disclosed when your authorization was in effect.