Office & Patient Information: HIPAA

What is HIPAA?

" HIPAA" is an acronym for the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996, requiring:

1. Improved efficiency in healthcare delivery by standardizing electronic data interchange, and

2. Protection of confidentiality and security of health data through setting and enforcing standards.

More specifically, HIPAA called upon the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to publish new rules that will ensure:

1. Standardization of electronic patient health, administrative and financial data

2. Unique health identifiers for individuals, employers, health plans and health care providers

3. Security standards protecting the confidentiality and integrity of "individually identifiable health information," past, present or future.

Patient Privacy
Safeguarding patient privacy is a priority at Lamprey Health Care. We follow strict federal and state guidelines to maintain the confidentiality of patient medical information.

How Do We Use Your Medical Information?
When you visit Lamprey Health Care, we use your medical information to treat you, to obtain payment for services, and to conduct normal business known as health care operations. Examples of how we use your information include:

• Treatment – We keep a record of each office and/or hospital visit. This record may include your test results, diagnosis, medications, and your response to medications or other therapies. This allows your doctors, nurses and other clinical staff to provide the best care to meet your needs.
• Payment – We document the services and supplies you receive at each visit so that you, your insurance company or another third party can pay us. We may tell your health plan about upcoming treatment or services that require prior approval.
• Health Care Operations – We use medical information to improve the services we provide, to train staff and/or students, for business management, quality improvement, and for customer service.

Patient Decisions
Services listed below that are followed by a star (*) are optional by the patient. You should tell the scheduler, team coordinator or fundraiser (if contacted) that you do not wish to participate.

Other Services
We may also use your information to:

• Send appointment reminders.*
• Contact you for LHC fundraising.*
• Conduct research following strict internal review to ensure protection of information and patient consent.*
• Recommend treatment alternatives.
• Tell you about health benefits and services.
• Communicate with family or friends involved in your care (i.e. spouse, power of attorney).
• Communicate with other LHC organizations or associates for treatment, payment or health care operations. Business associates must follow our strict privacy rules.

Information We May Share
On a limited basis, we are permitted or required to disclose medical information without permission. These situations are listed below:

• For public health activities such as tracking diseases or medical devices.
• To protect children and elderly victims of abuse or neglect.
• For federal and state health oversight activities such as fraud investigations.
• For judicial or administrative proceedings when required by a court order.
• Law enforcement: for reporting of certain types of injuries; with a warrant, subpoena or other legal process; or for the purpose of identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing persons.
• To coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors.
• To coordinate organ donation.
• To avert serious threat to public health or safety.
• For specialized government functions such as national security and intelligence.
• To a Workers’ Compensation carrier if you are injured at work.
• To a correctional institution if you are an inmate with a health emergency.

All other uses and disclosures, not previously described, may only be done with your signed authorization. You may revoke your authorization at any time.

Our Responsibilities
Lamprey Health Care is required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy of patient medical information.
• Provide a notice of our duties and privacy practices.
• Abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect.

We reserve the right to change privacy practices and make the new practices effective for all the information we maintain. Revised notices will be posted in our facilities and available from our web site. You may also request a paper copy.

Patient Rights
You have the right to:

• Request restrictions as to how we may use or disclose your medical information. (We may not be able to comply with all requests i. e. insurance billing.)
• Request that we use a specific telephone number or address to communicate with you.
• Inspect and copy your medical information (fees may apply).*
• Obtain a paper copy of the notice even if you receive it electronically.

*Requests must be in writing.